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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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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: deal · hand · root · clip · suit · cabinet · firm · bound

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. suit — in cards
  3. clip — to cut
  4. firm — steady
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. clip — for paper
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bound — certain
  12. root — the cause
  13. firm — decided
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. firm — a company
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. root — of a word
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — of a plant
  21. hand — help
  22. bound — tied together
  23. clip — a video
  24. bound — obliged

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