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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 116 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: chair · stick · nail · fan · mine · bound · rock · object

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bound — certain
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. object — an aim
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mine — for digging
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. object — to protest
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. object — a thing

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