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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. track — a path
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. track — a song
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mug — to rob
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. face — to confront
  11. wound — an injury
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mug — a cup
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — a face
  21. track — to keep track
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bound — tied together
  24. hide — to keep secret

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