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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fine — all right
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. object — a thing
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mine — for digging
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fine — high quality
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. deal — to handle

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