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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 · bear · bore · present · bark · suit · firm · kid

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bark — to shout
  6. firm — decided
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bore — to drill
  9. suit — to fit
  10. firm — a company
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bear — the animal
  13. present — there
  14. kid — to tease
  15. firm — steady
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. bear — the animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. suit — in cards
  23. kid — child
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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