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

Word bank: drill · board · bear · fine · deal · trunk

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. fine — all right
  11. bear — the animal
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. drill — a practice
  18. trunk — of a car

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