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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. row — a line
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bound — obliged
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stand — to bear
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. present — the time now
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. present — a gift
  17. row — to paddle
  18. present — there
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bound — certain
  21. shower — rain
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. ruler — a monarch

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