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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bound — obliged
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bound — certain
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. present — the time now
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bass — low music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. present — a gift
  13. lie — to recline
  14. roll — a list
  15. ball — a dance
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. present — there
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rush — hurry

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