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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: saw · leaves · date · ball · bear · deal

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. ball — a dance
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. saw — the tool
  18. deal — an agreement

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