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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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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: wave · firm · nail · mark · cap · sharp · rule · bound

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. firm — a company
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mark — a trace
  7. sharp — clever
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rule — government
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rule — a law
  19. bound — certain
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mark — a grade

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