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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: snap · roll · bound · ground · season · fork · bore · mug

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. roll — a list
  4. snap — to click
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bound — certain
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mug — a face
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ground — the earth
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. mug — to rob
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. roll — a cake
  19. season — in sport
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bore — to drill
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. ground — a position
  24. mug — a cup

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