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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. deal — to handle
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rash — hasty
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rash — a series
  9. cue — a signal
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. craft — boats
  12. hand — help
  13. cue — a hint
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wound — an injury
  24. craft — a skill

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