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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bound — certain
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bound — obliged
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. chip — for betting
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. band — a ring
  17. bound — tied together
  18. chip — to eat
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wave — of the sea

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