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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.

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: cap · bear · bass · lash · bound · perch · tube · nail

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bound — obliged
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bound — certain
  11. tube — the underground
  12. perch — the fish
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cap — a lid
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. tube — a container
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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