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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: bay · nail · bound · wound · club · current · rush · mouse

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. club — a group
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. club — for golf
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. current — of water
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mouse — the animal

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