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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: lie · cell · track · rush · dip · mark · nail · bound

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bound — tied together
  8. track — a path
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bound — certain
  11. cell — a phone
  12. mark — a grade
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cell — in biology
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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