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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: spell · deal · racket · firm · bore · roll · spring · jam

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bore — to tire
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. spell — letters
  5. spring — of water
  6. spell — magic
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spring — the season
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. firm — decided
  11. spell — a short time
  12. roll — a cake
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. firm — steady
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. deal — to handle
  18. firm — a company
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. bore — to drill
  24. deal — a big deal

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