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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 · present · bound · bear · nail · fan · bay · game

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bound — obliged
  6. present — the time now
  7. tube — a container
  8. bound — certain
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. present — there
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. present — a gift
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fan — to cool the air

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