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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. capital — money
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fork — in a road
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. capital — a city
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bowl — a football final

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