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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: cabinet · rule · pass · pound · bound · wound · prune · jam

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bound — certain
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rule — government
  15. pass — a permit
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — a law
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. wound — an injury

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