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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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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: firm · toast · rule · wound · deal · craft · wave · date

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. date — the fruit
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. craft — boats
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rule — government
  8. craft — a skill
  9. toast — bread
  10. rule — a law
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. firm — decided
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wound — an injury
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. firm — a company
  20. wound — an injury
  21. firm — steady
  22. deal — to handle
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wave — with your hand

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