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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.

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: track · nail · bound · bore · court · spring · scale · mouse

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. spring — of water
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bore — to tire
  7. spring — the season
  8. court — of a king
  9. bore — to drill
  10. track — a path
  11. scale — size or range
  12. spring — a coil
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. track — a song
  17. bound — certain
  18. scale — in music
  19. track — to keep track
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. bound — tied together
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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