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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. key — in music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pop — soda
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pound — a weight
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bound — obliged
  17. key — for a lock
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. tube — a container
  23. bound — tied together
  24. key — the most important part

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