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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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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: last · suit · deal · track · pound · bear · fan · bowl

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. deal — to handle
  5. track — to keep track
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. track — a path
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. last — final
  20. track — a song
  21. last — to go on
  22. pound — a weight
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. last — finally

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