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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: deal · firm · fork · toast · pit · ball · spring · band

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. ball — a great time
  3. spring — of water
  4. ball — a dance
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. firm — decided
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. band — a ring
  13. pit — a hole
  14. band — a music group
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. pit — in a race
  19. toast — bread
  20. firm — steady
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. spring — a coil
  23. firm — a company
  24. fork — a garden tool

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