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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 · tear · bowl · wound · land · lash · firm · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. land — a country
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. tear — to rip
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wound — an injury
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. land — to come down
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wound — an injury
  20. land — ground
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. firm — a company

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