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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 116 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: wind · cap · bound · land · craft · mark · bowl · nail

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bound — certain
  6. craft — boats
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. land — to come down
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cap — a hat
  17. land — ground
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wind — moving air
  21. land — a country
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mark — a trace

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