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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.

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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cell — a phone
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. net — after costs
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bear — the animal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. net — for catching
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. cell — in biology
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pit — in a race

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