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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: ball · craft · mark · mug · deal · chest · straw · pop

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. ball — a dance
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. craft — a skill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mug — a face
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mug — a cup
  22. craft — boats
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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