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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. squash — to crush
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. drill — army training
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. drill — a practice
  12. snap — to click
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. drill — the tool
  17. squash — the sport
  18. foot — a measure

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