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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: bay · bound · nail · cap · leaves · press · stock · arm

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — a lid
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cap — of ice
  11. press — newspapers
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cap — a hat
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stock — goods
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stock — shares
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stock — a soup base

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