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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.

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: mine · suit · craft · pop · squash · deal · cell · object

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. cell — a phone
  2. object — a thing
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. squash — to crush
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pop — soda
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pop — to visit
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. craft — boats
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pop — music
  19. cell — in biology
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. deal — to handle
  23. object — to protest
  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