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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: clip · pop · pit · rock · bound · track · band · nail

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pit — a hole
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bound — certain
  5. clip — a video
  6. bound — tied together
  7. clip — to cut
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a ring
  14. rock — a stone
  15. band — a music group
  16. track — a song
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pop — soda

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