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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: pound · sharp · fork · bound · bowl · pit · roll · spell

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bound — tied together
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pound — a weight
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. roll — a cake
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bound — certain
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. spell — magic
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. spell — letters
  23. roll — a list
  24. sharp — with an edge

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