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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: stick · squash · present · deal · jam · cue · fork · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. fork — in a road
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. squash — to crush
  8. cue — for pool
  9. deal — to handle
  10. squash — the sport
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. present — there
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. fork — to eat with

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