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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. hand — in cards
  3. object — to protest
  4. bound — tied together
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bound — certain
  7. rock — a stone
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. hand — help
  11. board — to get on
  12. clip — to cut
  13. board — a committee
  14. clip — a video
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bound — obliged
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. clip — for paper
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rock — music
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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