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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.

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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: tube · scale · bound · nail · fork · stand · hand · current

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fork — in a road
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. current — happening now
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bound — obliged
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. hand — in cards
  13. tube — the underground
  14. current — electric
  15. scale — in music
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. current — of water
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bound — certain
  21. tube — a container
  22. hand — help
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bound — tied together

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