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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: spring · deal · bear · fine · stick · mine · bound · rush

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. spring — the season
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. deal — to handle
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  24. spring — of water

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