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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 116 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 · bay · ball · trunk · craft · mine · snap · nail

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ball — a great time
  3. deal — to handle
  4. craft — boats
  5. mine — for digging
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. snap — to click
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ball — a dance
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mine — an explosive

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