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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. net — for catching
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. craft — a skill
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. net — after costs
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. branch — a division
  20. net — in sport
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. craft — boats
  24. arm — part of the body

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