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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. net — in sport
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. hand — help
  9. net — after costs
  10. object — a thing
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. net — for catching
  13. chip — to eat
  14. object — an aim
  15. craft — boats
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. craft — a skill
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rash — a series
  21. object — to protest
  22. deal — to handle
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rash — hasty

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