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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: object · bear · deal · pop · bowl · chip · prune · staff

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — a thing
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pop — soda
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. prune — to trim
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pop — to visit
  20. object — to protest
  21. chip — to eat
  22. prune — to trim
  23. object — an aim
  24. pop — music

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