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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bound — obliged
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. craft — boats
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bore — to tire
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rest — a break
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bound — tied together
  18. file — a tool
  19. bore — to drill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. file — a document
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. 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