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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bear — the animal
  8. march — the month
  9. object — a thing
  10. march — music
  11. object — to protest
  12. march — the month
  13. bear — the animal
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bound — certain
  16. last — finally
  17. branch — a division
  18. last — final
  19. last — to go on
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. object — an aim
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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