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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: snap · bound · prune · fine · rush · vault · fork · mark

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fine — all right
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. snap — to click
  14. bound — obliged
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bound — tied together
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rush — hurry
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. fine — high quality
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fork — a garden tool

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