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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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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: dip · drill · craft · ground · tube · content · pitcher · deal

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. craft — a skill
  5. drill — the tool
  6. dip — to sink
  7. ground — the earth
  8. drill — a practice
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. drill — army training
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ground — crushed
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. content — happy
  17. tube — a container
  18. ground — a position
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — boats
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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