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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: cap · hand · deal · ball · pop · bound · bore · cabinet

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. hand — help
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bound — certain
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pop — to visit
  11. ball — a great time
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ball — a dance
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pop — soda
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pop — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a lid
  24. hand — part of the body

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