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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: fork · bear · net · toast · fan · pop · wake · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. deal — a big deal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. net — in sport
  6. toast — bread
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pop — music
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wake — a trail
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. net — after costs
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. deal — to handle
  23. net — for catching
  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