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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. snap — to click
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bank — for money
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bank — of a river
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. rest — what's left
  11. object — a thing
  12. bank — for money
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rest — a break
  15. ground — the earth
  16. object — an aim
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. object — to protest
  24. pound — a weight

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