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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. row — a line
  3. spring — of water
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. firm — decided
  7. spring — the season
  8. bore — to tire
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bear — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. spring — a coil
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. deal — to handle
  24. row — a quarrel

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