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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rash · bound · can · nail · degree · wound · track

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. can — to be able to
  4. track — a path
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. degree — from a university
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bound — certain
  10. wound — an injury
  11. degree — an amount
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rash — a series
  14. bound — tied together
  15. track — a song
  16. can — a tin
  17. deal — to handle
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bound — obliged
  20. can — a tin
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wound — an injury
  24. nail — for a hammer

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