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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 120 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 · straw · bound · mark · cap · bowl · bark · fan

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cap — a lid
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bound — certain
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. deal — to handle
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. cap — a hat
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mark — a grade

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