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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: snap · temple · spell · cabinet · pound · deal · wound · staff

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. wound — an injury
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. spell — letters
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. staff — employees
  11. pound — a weight
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. staff — a stick
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. temple — a place of worship

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