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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 124 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pitch — completely
  5. prune — to trim
  6. craft — boats
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. spell — a short time
  11. craft — a skill
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. deal — to handle
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. tube — a container
  24. firm — a company

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