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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: plane · stock · lie · bound · leaves · band · nail · bay

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. stock — shares
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. band — a ring
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. band — a music group
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. bound — certain
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. plane — in geometry
  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