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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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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 · sharp · deal · fork · pound · bark · wound · safe

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bound — tied together
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fork — in a road
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bark — to shout
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wound — an injury
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wound — an injury
  24. sharp — exactly

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