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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · game · fork · deal · bear · lie · safe · foot

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. game — a match
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. spell — magic
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fork — in a road
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bear — the animal
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. game — wild animals

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