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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. field — for sport
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bulb — for light
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mug — a face
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mug — to rob
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. craft — boats
  19. field — farmland
  20. clip — a video
  21. foot — a measure
  22. field — a subject
  23. bear — the animal
  24. clip — for paper

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