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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: craft · trunk · deal · object · chest · bowl · file · rush

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chest — a box
  3. craft — boats
  4. object — a thing
  5. chest — of your body
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. object — an aim
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a document
  13. craft — a skill
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. object — to protest
  22. chest — of your body
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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