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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 120 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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. game — a match
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. craft — a skill
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. deal — to handle
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. craft — boats
  15. key — in music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. game — wild animals
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fan — a supporter

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