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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — decided
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wound — an injury
  8. firm — steady
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. wound — an injury
  13. row — a line
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. firm — a company
  19. row — to paddle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — a garden tool

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