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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pitch — completely
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. craft — boats
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fine — all right
  12. mark — a grade
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mark — a trace

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