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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: nail · hide · pound · cue · bound · rest · date · fan

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bound — certain
  6. rest — a break
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cue — a hint
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. date — the fruit
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pound — a weight
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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