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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: bowl · firm · rash · field · craft · deal · dip · wind

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rash — hasty
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. firm — steady
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. firm — a company
  12. wind — moving air
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. rash — a series
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. craft — boats
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. field — for sport
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — to handle
  24. dip — to dunk

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