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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: pound · face · band · pop · deal · nail · snap · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pop — music
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. suit — to fit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. face — to confront
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pop — soda
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pop — to visit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. snap — to click
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a ring

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