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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. net — in sport
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. present — there
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. can — a tin
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. net — after costs
  12. bound — certain
  13. current — of water
  14. net — for catching
  15. bound — obliged
  16. current — happening now
  17. wind — moving air
  18. current — electric
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bound — tied together
  22. can — a tin
  23. deal — to handle
  24. can — to be able to

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