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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 116 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bound — certain
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bound — tied together
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rash — a series
  20. fine — all right
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bound — obliged
  24. fine — high quality

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