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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · suit · racket · roll · bowl · bore · leaves · deal

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bore — to tire
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. suit — to fit
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. suit — clothes
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. roll — a list
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. suit — in cards
  24. roll — on a roll

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