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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: bound · suit · bowl · wound · deal · content · hide · bear

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bound — certain
  8. wound — an injury
  9. content — the amount
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. content — happy
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bound — tied together
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — in cards
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bear — the animal

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