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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 120 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: ball · fan · bowl · suit · can · deal · kid · fork

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. kid — child
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — clothes
  9. can — a tin
  10. kid — to tease
  11. fork — in a road
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. suit — to fit
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. ball — a dance
  20. suit — in cards
  21. can — a tin
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. ball — a great time

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