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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: wake · nail · mark · temple · mug · pass · bound · wound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mark — a trace
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mug — a face
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bound — tied together
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mug — to rob
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bound — obliged

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