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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: wind · jam · lean · bound · vault · suit · bore · bark

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bound — certain
  3. lean — thin
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bore — to tire
  11. vault — a safe
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lean — to bend
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wind — moving air
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. lean — to rest against

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