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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bound — certain
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. cue — a hint

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