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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 116 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: ground · spell · bore · object · sharp · swing · bound · mark

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. object — an aim
  3. mark — a grade
  4. swing — to play on
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. spell — magic
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bound — certain
  12. object — a thing
  13. swing — in golf
  14. ground — a position
  15. swing — music
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. sharp — clever
  21. spell — letters
  22. bore — to drill
  23. ground — crushed
  24. object — to protest

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