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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: deal · file · fall · kick · bank · pop · firm · bound

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bound — certain
  5. pop — music
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bank — of a river
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bank — for money
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. file — a document
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bound — obliged
  20. file — a tool
  21. fall — the season
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pop — soda
  24. bank — for money

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