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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: mark · date · mug · straw · bound · stand · deal · fan

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — to bear
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bound — certain
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bound — tied together
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bound — obliged
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mug — a cup
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — to handle
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fan — a supporter

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