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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 124 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: deal · pop · craft · sharp · mine · club · date · firm

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. date — the fruit
  5. club — for dancing
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. firm — a company
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pop — soda
  13. firm — steady
  14. pop — music
  15. craft — boats
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. club — for golf
  18. craft — a skill
  19. firm — decided
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pop — to visit
  22. club — a group
  23. sharp — clever
  24. deal — to handle

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