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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: land · trunk · ball · bear · deal · lie · firm · toast

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — a company
  7. land — ground
  8. lie — to recline
  9. firm — steady
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. land — to come down
  19. firm — decided
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ball — a great time
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bear — the animal

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