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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 112 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. last — finally
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cell — in biology
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. last — final
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. last — to go on
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bound — tied together
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bound — certain

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