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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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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: hand · bank · prune · arm · mouse · deal · fork · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bank — for money
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hand — help
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bank — of a river
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. prune — to trim
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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