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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: mark · track · spring · bound · temple · cabinet · bay · wound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. spring — the season
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. spring — of water
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. bound — obliged
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spring — a coil
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mark — a grade
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bound — tied together
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. cabinet — ministers

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