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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: dip · bass · last · nail · bound · scale · leaves · track

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bound — tied together
  6. last — finally
  7. dip — to sink
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. track — a song
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bass — low music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — in music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. last — final
  17. last — to go on
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bass — the fish
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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