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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: bound · snap · pass · row · branch · ground · deal · club

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bound — certain
  3. deal — to handle
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. snap — to click
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bound — obliged
  8. ground — crushed
  9. club — a group
  10. branch — a division
  11. row — to paddle
  12. club — for golf
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ground — the earth
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bound — tied together
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. ground — a position
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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