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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: bound · wound · nail · leaves · face · dip · bay · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bound — obliged
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. face — to point toward

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