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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: mouse · craft · coach · suit · deal · nail · cabinet · field

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — boats
  6. field — for sport
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. field — farmland
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. field — a subject
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. 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