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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: bear · jam · firm · pass · deal · game · hide · fork

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. deal — to handle
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. firm — a company
  6. game — wild animals
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pass — a permit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. game — a match
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fork — in a road
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bear — to put up with

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