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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 · pit · mug · craft · snap · bulb · pitcher · clip

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. craft — boats
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. clip — for paper
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mug — a cup
  7. snap — to click
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mug — to rob
  14. clip — a video
  15. pit — in a race
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mug — a face
  20. clip — to cut
  21. pit — a hole
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bulb — for light

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