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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: fork · present · game · bowl · deal · mate · firm · wave

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mate — a friend
  4. game — a match
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. firm — steady
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. fork — in a road
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. present — a gift
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. firm — decided
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. firm — a company
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. deal — a big deal

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