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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: staff · bay · nail · hide · bound · roll · saw · leaves

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bound — certain
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bound — tied together
  22. saw — the tool
  23. roll — a cake
  24. saw — the tool

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