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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: leaves · prune · rash · mate · bound · wound · ground · firm

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ground — the earth
  3. firm — a company
  4. bound — tied together
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mate — to breed
  8. ground — a position
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bound — obliged
  11. firm — steady
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wound — an injury
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. firm — decided
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bound — certain

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