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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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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: pass · squash · toast · fork · field · bore · land · deal

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. field — farmland
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. deal — to handle
  8. squash — to crush
  9. field — for sport
  10. toast — bread
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fork — in a road
  15. squash — the sport
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. land — a country
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. land — ground
  22. field — a subject
  23. land — to come down
  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