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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 · craft · bound · foot · pit · wind · roll · tear

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. foot — a measure
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bound — obliged
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. tear — from crying
  8. deal — to handle
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bound — certain
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. roll — a list
  17. tear — to rip
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. craft — a skill
  20. roll — a cake
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. craft — boats
  24. tear — from crying

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