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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: hand · ruler · deal · fan · wound · bound · bark · mate

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bound — obliged
  10. hand — help
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bound — certain
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bark — to shout
  24. fan — a supporter

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