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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · bark · spell · suit · bay · arm · deal · fan

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. game — a match
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. spell — letters
  8. bark — to shout
  9. suit — to fit
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spell — a short time
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spell — magic
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. suit — clothes

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