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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bound · tube · hide · bark · fork · nail · rock

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bound — tied together
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rock — music
  10. bound — certain
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — a stone
  24. hide — animal skin

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