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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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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: jam · bound · pound · deal · rest · tube · ruler · sharp

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. tube — a container
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bound — certain
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bound — tied together
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — to handle
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — the underground
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. rest — what's left
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ruler — a monarch

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