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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 · bore · net · fork · track · object · trunk · chip

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bore — to tire
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chip — to eat
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. net — for catching
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. net — after costs
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bound — obliged
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bound — certain
  14. object — an aim
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. object — to protest
  19. net — in sport
  20. track — a path
  21. fork — in a road
  22. chip — for betting
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. object — a thing

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