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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: pit · toast · bank · bowl · prune · bound · object · wound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bound — obliged
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. object — an aim
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. object — a thing
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. toast — bread
  12. prune — to trim
  13. object — to protest
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — for money
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bank — for money
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pit — in a race
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bowl — to roll

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