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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: bear · bay · wake · rush · deal · content · firm · fall

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. content — the amount
  4. rush — hurry
  5. firm — a company
  6. fall — to drop
  7. firm — decided
  8. fall — the season
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. content — happy
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wake — a trail
  19. firm — steady
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bear — the animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fall — to drop

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