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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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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: mouse · mug · mark · craft · nail · spring · wake · bound

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bound — certain
  3. spring — of water
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. spring — the season
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wake — a trail
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spring — a coil
  18. craft — boats
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bound — obliged
  24. wake — before a funeral

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