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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: temple · fan · perch · fork · cabinet · ground · bound · bay

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. cabinet — ministers

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