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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. hand — in cards
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. dip — to sink
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. craft — boats
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. hand — help
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pit — a hole
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stock — goods
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. mug — a face

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