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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 124 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wake — a trail
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. root — the cause
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. root — of a word
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wake — before a funeral

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