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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: net · squash · bear · firm · jam · deal · roll · land

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. net — in sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. net — after costs
  12. deal — to handle
  13. squash — to crush
  14. firm — steady
  15. net — for catching
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. squash — the sport
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. land — to come down
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. squash — the vegetable

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