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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. band — a music group
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. track — a song
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bound — tied together
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. prune — to trim
  18. band — a ring
  19. bound — certain
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bound — obliged
  23. track — a path
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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