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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cap — a lid
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bound — certain
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. charge — electricity
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. row — to paddle
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mate — a friend
  18. cap — of ice
  19. charge — in control
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mate — to breed
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bound — tied together

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