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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 120 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: dip · deal · pound · bear · drill · fine · bound · lean

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. fine — all right
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bound — tied together
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. dip — to sink
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. drill — army training
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bound — certain
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pound — a weight
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. lean — thin
  24. fine — a penalty

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