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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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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 · cap · rest · ground · racket · wound · bore · deal

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bound — certain
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ground — a position
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wound — an injury
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bound — obliged
  22. ground — the earth
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ground — crushed

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