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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. object — an aim
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bound — tied together
  5. sharp — clever
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — of water
  11. object — a thing
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. object — to protest
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bass — low music
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bass — the fish
  24. nail — for a hammer

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