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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: cabinet · nail · snap · root · wax · bound · pound · pitch

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bound — certain
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. root — the cause
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to click
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pound — a weight
  24. wax — to grow

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