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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: wake · nail · mark · chair · bound · track · bass · can

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bound — certain
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. track — a song
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chair — a leader
  13. can — a tin
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bound — tied together
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. track — to keep track
  21. wake — a trail
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. can — to be able to
  24. nail — for a hammer

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