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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pound · bound · fan · bass · fork · mouse · prune · wake

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bass — low music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wake — a trail
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pound — a weight
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bound — obliged

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