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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: pit · bound · sharp · nail · fall · trunk · wound · deal

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pit — a hole
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fall — to drop
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fall — the season
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fall — to drop
  24. sharp — clever

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