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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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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: bore · coach · bank · fork · firm · land · deal · game

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. 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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. land — a country
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bank — for money
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. land — ground
  14. firm — decided
  15. game — wild animals
  16. firm — a company
  17. deal — to handle
  18. game — a match
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — steady
  22. land — to come down
  23. bore — to tire
  24. 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