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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 116 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. last — finally
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. track — a path
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. last — to go on
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bound — obliged
  15. band — a ring
  16. content — the amount
  17. track — a song
  18. bound — tied together
  19. content — happy
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. track — to keep track
  22. last — final
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bound — certain

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