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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: bore · cabinet · deal · leaves · shower · wake · firm · bound

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bore — to tire
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. bore — to drill
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bound — certain
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. firm — a company
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cabinet — ministers

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