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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 120 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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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: can · bound · rule · snap · ground · nail · track · deal

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. can — to be able to
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rule — a law
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rule — government
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — a song
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bound — certain
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. track — a path
  18. can — a tin
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. snap — to click
  21. ground — a position
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. can — a tin

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