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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bound — certain
  3. present — the time now
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — a path
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. track — a song
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. present — there
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bound — obliged
  16. lean — thin
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — the animal

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