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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: bulb · nail · rock · rash · stick · bound

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rock — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rash — a series
  13. bound — certain
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — to move gently

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