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

Word bank: branch · mug · wound · ground · rock · firm · deal · content

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rock — a stone
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — a company
  13. branch — a division
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rock — music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. content — the amount
  19. ground — a position
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mug — a face
  22. content — happy
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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