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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · leaves · wake · pound · fan · firm · bowl · drill

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pound — a weight
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. drill — army training
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. drill — a practice
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. firm — steady
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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