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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. net — in sport
  4. present — there
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. net — for catching
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cap — a lid
  15. craft — boats
  16. mark — a trace
  17. present — a gift
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cap — a hat
  20. present — the time now
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. net — after costs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com