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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: squash · firm · date · wound · race · ball · bound · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bound — obliged
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. squash — to crush
  9. firm — steady
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. date — the fruit
  13. bound — certain
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. race — a contest
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bound — tied together
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. race — humankind
  22. firm — a company
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. firm — decided

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