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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 116 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: capital · object · straw · sharp · deal · bound · shower · ground

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ground — the earth
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — to protest
  8. bound — certain
  9. sharp — clever
  10. capital — money
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. shower — rain
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bound — tied together
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. ground — crushed
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bound — obliged
  21. capital — a city
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. ground — a position
  24. deal — an agreement

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