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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: bound · deal · mark · pound · straw · temple · squash · trunk

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bound — obliged
  6. squash — the sport
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — a weight
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. squash — to crush
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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