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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cold — not warm
  5. stand — to bear
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bound — obliged
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. suit — to fit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bound — certain
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cold — an illness
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pound — for dogs

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