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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: temple · hand · toast · deal · bear · suit · saw · fine

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. suit — to fit
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. fine — all right
  8. saw — the tool
  9. deal — to handle
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bear — the animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. hand — help
  19. suit — in cards
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. toast — bread

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