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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: deal · prune · row · fork · firm · staff · pass · game

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. prune — to trim
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. row — a line
  5. staff — employees
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. game — a match
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. staff — employees
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. deal — to handle
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pass — a permit
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. firm — decided
  18. staff — a stick
  19. firm — a company
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. firm — steady
  23. game — wild animals
  24. deal — an agreement

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