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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: bound · shower · season · pound · temple · fine · jam · suit

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. shower — rain
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bound — obliged
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fine — high quality
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. season — in sport
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — a weight
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. bound — certain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. fine — all right
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bound — tied together
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — to fit

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