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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 116 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: bound · racket · hide · wave · nail · pop · capital · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bound — certain
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. pop — soda
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pop — music
  18. capital — a city
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bound — tied together
  22. capital — money
  23. bound — obliged
  24. hide — to keep secret

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