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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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 — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — a company
  4. bound — tied together
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bound — certain
  9. firm — decided
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. firm — steady
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pass — a permit
  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