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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: root · can · saw · fork · deal · sharp · firm · tear

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. firm — a company
  8. deal — to handle
  9. tear — from crying
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. firm — steady
  13. root — the cause
  14. tear — to rip
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. can — a tin
  18. root — of a word
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. firm — decided
  22. can — a tin
  23. root — of a plant
  24. saw — the tool

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