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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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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: last · saw · bound · track · wave · nail · cell · bear

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. last — final
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bear — the animal
  6. last — to go on
  7. track — a path
  8. cell — in biology
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bound — tied together
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — certain
  18. last — finally
  19. cell — a phone
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bear — the animal

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