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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: pound · bound · nail · dip · hand · chair · craft · track

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. track — a song
  3. dip — to sink
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hand — help
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. track — a path
  10. bound — certain
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hand — in cards
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pound — a weight
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. craft — boats
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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