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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: stick · bear · deal · current · last · nail

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. last — to go on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. current — of water
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. last — final
  12. last — finally
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. current — happening now
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. current — electric

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