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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 120 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: mouse · nail · stand · wound · fork · pit · bound · drill

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bound — certain
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. drill — the tool
  19. stand — to bear
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bound — tied together
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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