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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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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. tube — in a tire

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