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

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. fork — in a road
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. board — a committee
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tube — a container
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bat — the animal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a ring
  24. bat — for baseball

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