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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: deal · charge · wind · jam · bowl · bear · trunk · firm

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. firm — a company
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. charge — a price
  11. firm — steady
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wind — moving air
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wind — moving air
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bear — the animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. charge — in control
  23. bear — the animal
  24. firm — decided

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