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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: nail · object · bound · clip · wake · spring · board · calf

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — a thing
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wake — a trail
  6. board — to get on
  7. spring — a coil
  8. clip — to cut
  9. board — a committee
  10. spring — the season
  11. bound — obliged
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. object — an aim
  15. spring — of water
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. object — to protest
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — certain
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. clip — for paper
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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