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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 · lie · pound · clip · wound · rush · firm · craft

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wound — an injury
  5. firm — a company
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — hurry
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. clip — to cut
  13. pound — a weight
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wound — an injury
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lie — to recline
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — a video
  24. craft — boats

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