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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 116 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: deal · rush · drill · stock · rule · firm · pound · wound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wound — an injury
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rule — government
  7. pound — a weight
  8. stock — goods
  9. rule — a law
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. firm — a company
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. firm — steady
  20. wound — an injury
  21. firm — decided
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stock — shares
  24. rush — hurry

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