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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · can · pitch · object · content · deal · ground · trunk

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ground — a position
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ground — the earth
  6. content — happy
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ground — crushed
  10. object — to protest
  11. craft — boats
  12. pitch — completely
  13. can — a tin
  14. content — the amount
  15. object — an aim
  16. can — to be able to
  17. craft — a skill
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. can — a tin
  24. object — a thing

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