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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: saw · track · ground · prune · fork · rush · lie · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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 — tied together
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bound — obliged
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bound — certain
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. prune — to trim
  11. track — a path
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a song
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ground — a position
  18. rush — hurry
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. track — to keep track
  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