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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: degree · deal · nail · band · pitcher · craft · chip · squash

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. deal — to handle
  7. degree — from a university
  8. squash — the sport
  9. degree — an amount
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. craft — a skill
  19. degree — temperature
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. craft — boats

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