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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: kick · season · lean · craft · net · deal · saw · nail

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lean — thin
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. saw — the tool
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. craft — a skill
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lean — to bend
  16. season — of the year
  17. kick — in football
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — boats
  21. net — for catching
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kick — a thrill

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