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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: rash · firm · lie · bound · nail · bear · pit · fork

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. firm — a company
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bound — certain
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fork — in a road
  17. firm — decided
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rash — a series
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — steady

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