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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: arm · snap · rush · nail · bay · season · deal · bound

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bound — certain
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bound — obliged
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bound — tied together
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. snap — to click
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — in sport

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