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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: fork · wound · bound · ruler · jam · season · cue · can

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bound — tied together
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. can — a tin
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bound — certain
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wound — an injury
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cue — for pool
  14. season — in sport
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bound — obliged
  17. can — a tin
  18. season — of the year
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cue — a hint
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fork — in a road
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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