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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fine — all right
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fine — high quality
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. ball — a great time
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bear — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bulb — of a plant

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