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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: can · leaves · firm · arm · trunk · pop · band · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. band — a ring
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. band — a music group
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pop — to visit
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — decided
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pop — music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pop — soda
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. can — a tin
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. leaves — of a tree

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