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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: bound · perch · wound · pass · nail · fork · rush · fine

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bound — obliged
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fine — all right
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bound — certain
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rush — hurry
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fork — in a road
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pass — a permit

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