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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: spring · date · lie · ball · spell · firm · deal · capital

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. capital — money
  8. lie — to recline
  9. firm — a company
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. firm — steady
  14. spell — magic
  15. date — the fruit
  16. spring — the season
  17. firm — decided
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. spring — of water
  23. ball — a dance
  24. capital — a city

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