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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. swing — music
  4. craft — a skill
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. fork — in a road
  10. squash — the sport
  11. swing — in golf
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. swing — to play on
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. craft — boats
  22. spell — magic
  23. squash — to crush
  24. deal — a big deal

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