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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: can · wind · deal · bear · bound · hide · stand · mate

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bound — tied together
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mate — a friend
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bound — certain
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bear — the animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mate — a partner
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wind — to turn a key

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