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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bound — certain
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. field — a subject
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. field — for sport
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. field — farmland
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. land — to come down
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bound — obliged
  24. land — a country

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