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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 120 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: mate · land · bulb · bound · nail · club · bay · face

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bound — tied together
  3. club — for golf
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mate — a friend
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. land — to come down
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bound — certain
  15. face — part of the head
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bound — obliged
  22. land — a country
  23. face — to confront
  24. bulb — of a plant

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