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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. craft — boats
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. plane — a tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. game — a match
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. swing — music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. game — wild animals
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. craft — a skill
  24. swing — in golf

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