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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: fork · cold · deal · pitcher · suit · toast · kick · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cold — an illness
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. cold — not warm
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — in football
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pop — soda
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. toast — bread
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pop — to visit
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. suit — in cards

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