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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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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: prune · game · fine · fork · wake · board · deal · bear

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bear — the animal
  5. game — wild animals
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. board — a committee
  18. fine — all right
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fine — high quality
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bear — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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