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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.

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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 · nail · craft · land · object · fine · mine · current

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. current — happening now
  3. object — to protest
  4. current — electric
  5. deal — to handle
  6. craft — a skill
  7. current — of water
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. land — ground
  11. mine — for digging
  12. land — a country
  13. craft — boats
  14. object — a thing
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. land — to come down
  20. fine — high quality
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. fine — all right
  24. object — an aim

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