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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. swing — in golf
  3. hand — in cards
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. craft — boats
  6. tube — the underground
  7. hand — help
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. swing — to play on
  10. tube — a container
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. swing — music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. craft — a skill
  24. tube — in a tire

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