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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: deal · squash · plane · staff · current · fork · cue · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. staff — a stick
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. squash — to crush
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cue — for pool
  8. current — electric
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. squash — the sport
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. current — happening now
  15. staff — employees
  16. fork — in a road
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. staff — employees
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. current — of water
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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