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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: tear · key · ground · bound · rush · hide · mouse · present

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. present — a gift
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. key — the most important part
  14. tear — from crying
  15. key — in music
  16. ground — a position
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. key — for a lock
  21. tear — from crying
  22. ground — crushed
  23. present — there
  24. tear — to rip

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