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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: lie · pound · mine · mark · tube · bound · sharp · toast

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mark — a grade
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bound — obliged
  11. toast — bread
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. mark — a trace
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pound — a weight
  19. tube — a container
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mine — for digging

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