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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. firm — decided
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stem — to come from
  8. cell — a phone
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. firm — steady
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cell — in biology
  16. firm — a company
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. deal — to handle

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