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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: bound · firm · rock · clip · rule · deal · net · stick

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. clip — for paper
  3. rock — music
  4. net — for catching
  5. firm — decided
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. firm — a company
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rule — government
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — a video
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bound — certain
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bound — obliged
  22. firm — steady
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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