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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: leaves · sharp · hand · bound · file · suit · mug · deal

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. mug — to rob
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bound — certain
  8. file — a tool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mug — a face
  11. hand — help
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. file — a document
  17. suit — in cards
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bound — tied together
  20. hand — in cards
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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