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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 · deal · content · coach · trunk · firm · wind · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — to handle
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. firm — a company
  11. wind — moving air
  12. firm — steady
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. firm — decided
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. content — the amount
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. content — happy
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wind — moving air

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