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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · deal · ground · fork · tube · saw · staff · jam

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. ground — a position
  9. saw — the tool
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ground — the earth
  17. fork — in a road
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. deal — to handle
  24. staff — a stick

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