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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. capital — a city
  5. bear — the animal
  6. capital — money
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bore — to drill
  9. hand — help
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bore — to tire
  23. squash — the sport
  24. hand — in cards

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