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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: dip · net · race · pass · track · bound · can · nail

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. net — in sport
  3. bound — obliged
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. track — a path
  7. can — a tin
  8. track — to keep track
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — a contest
  11. pass — a permit
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — tied together
  14. race — the arms race
  15. net — for catching
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — certain
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — after costs
  21. can — to be able to
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. track — a song
  24. dip — to sink

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