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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: perch · fork · spell · deal · sharp · ruler · bear · firm

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spell — letters
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. spell — magic
  8. firm — decided
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. firm — a company
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. firm — steady
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bear — the animal
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — a monarch

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