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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 · saw · roll · staff · arm · fine · fork · bore

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. roll — a cake
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fine — high quality
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. staff — employees
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. roll — a list
  11. saw — the tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bore — to drill
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fine — all right
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fork — in a road
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fine — a penalty

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