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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 · wind · foot · track · temple · bound · board · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bound — tied together
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bound — certain
  10. board — a committee
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wind — moving air
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. track — a path
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wind — moving air
  20. track — a song
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bound — obliged
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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