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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · current · cue · mug · bound · bark · racket · spring

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. current — happening now
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. spring — the season
  12. bound — tied together
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cue — a hint
  15. spring — of water
  16. bark — to shout
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. current — electric
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. mug — a face
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. current — of water
  24. bound — certain

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