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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: deal · tear · craft · jam · present · stick

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. craft — boats
  4. tear — from crying
  5. present — the time now
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tear — to rip
  8. present — there
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. present — a gift
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. tear — from crying
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. jam — a tight spot

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