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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stick · land · object · perch · band · nail · bark · bound

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — a thing
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. land — ground
  10. object — an aim
  11. land — to come down
  12. bound — obliged
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — the fish
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bound — certain
  18. object — to protest
  19. land — a country
  20. band — a ring
  21. bark — to shout
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bound — tied together
  24. band — a music group

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