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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: bear · row · fine · deal · mine · club · pitcher · race

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fine — high quality
  4. club — for dancing
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. race — a contest
  13. fine — all right
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mine — for digging
  20. row — a line
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. race — humankind

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