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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: arm · pitcher · wind · stand · deal · bound · stick · fan

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bound — tied together
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bound — certain
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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