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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: lie · bound · wound · pop · pound · charge · court · fork

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. charge — a price
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — music
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fork — in a road
  16. court — of law
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. court — of a king
  22. pop — to visit
  23. charge — in control
  24. court — for sport

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