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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: deal · hand · charge · ground · hide · bound · bank · cue

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ground — a position
  3. bound — certain
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — in control
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. cue — a signal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. hand — in cards
  13. cue — a hint
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bank — of a river
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hand — help
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bound — obliged
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. hide — to keep secret

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