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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · stick · wake · kick · suit · deal

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. suit — clothes
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. kick — in football
  9. craft — a skill
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — a trail
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. craft — boats
  18. suit — to fit

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