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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: trunk · date · craft · firm · rock · content · fan · deal

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. content — the amount
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. firm — a company
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. deal — to handle
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. content — happy
  18. craft — a skill
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. firm — decided
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. date — the fruit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — steady

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