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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bound — certain
  6. spell — magic
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a cake
  13. spell — letters
  14. board — a committee
  15. tube — a container
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pass — a permit
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bound — obliged
  23. board — to get on
  24. roll — a list

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