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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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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: staff · suit · tear · trunk · bowl · deal · present · bore

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. tear — from crying
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bore — to tire
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. suit — to fit
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. tear — to rip
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. present — a gift
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. present — the time now
  17. bore — to drill
  18. staff — employees
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. deal — to handle
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — there
  24. bowl — a football final

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