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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. swing — music
  8. bound — obliged
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. craft — boats
  15. swing — to play on
  16. craft — a skill
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mouse — the animal

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