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

Word bank: fork · rash · stand · tear · deal · cap

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cap — a hat
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. tear — to rip
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cap — of ice
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. tear — from crying
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cap — a lid
  18. tear — from crying

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