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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: wave · pound · bass · pass · bank · nail · bound · track

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. bass — low music
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. track — a song
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bank — of a river
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bank — for money
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. track — a path
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bank — for money
  24. nail — on a finger

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