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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: coach · bound · jam · fork · snap · lie · object · kick

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bound — obliged
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bound — tied together
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. lie — to recline
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kick — in football
  19. bound — certain
  20. snap — to click
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. object — a thing
  24. fork — a garden tool

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