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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bound — obliged
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. cue — a hint
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. spring — of water
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. spring — the season
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stand — to bear
  24. spring — a coil

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