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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — army training
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. drill — the tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — boats
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. prune — to trim

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