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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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Word bank
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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: clip · craft · game · pit · swing · bay · cabinet · deal

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. pit — a hole
  3. clip — a video
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. craft — boats
  7. game — wild animals
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pit — in a race
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. swing — music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. deal — to handle
  20. swing — in golf
  21. game — a match
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. swing — to play on

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