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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: rest · deal · pop · craft · bay · can · bat · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rest — what's left
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. pop — soda
  8. firm — decided
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. pop — music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. craft — boats
  21. bat — the animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. firm — steady
  24. pop — to visit

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