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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: fall · arm · roll · kid · bound · deal · hide · bowl

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. fall — to drop
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — to tease
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bound — certain
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bound — obliged
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fall — the season
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. roll — a cake
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. roll — a list
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fall — to drop

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