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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wind — moving air
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bank — for money
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. dip — to sink
  13. court — for sport
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. court — of law
  17. wind — moving air
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. court — of a king
  23. bank — for money
  24. dip — a sauce

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