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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bank — for money
  5. last — finally
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. last — to go on
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. last — final
  11. can — a tin
  12. bound — obliged
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bound — tied together
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bound — certain
  21. can — a tin
  22. wind — moving air
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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