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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bound — obliged
  3. ball — a great time
  4. land — to come down
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bound — tied together
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. land — ground
  13. bound — certain
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bass — low music
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. land — a country
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a round shape

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