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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: mark · deal · spell · bear · nail · leaves · row · club

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. club — a group
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mark — a grade
  12. deal — to handle
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mark — a trace
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. club — for golf
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. club — for dancing

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