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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: spell · game · fork · deal · bear · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. spell — magic
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. game — a match

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