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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · season · track · content · fork · band · safe · stick

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bound — certain
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. track — a song
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. track — to keep track
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bound — obliged
  13. band — a music group
  14. track — a path
  15. band — a ring
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. content — happy
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bound — tied together
  22. season — in sport
  23. content — the amount
  24. fork — in a road

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