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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · mouse · drill · lie · bound · roll · bank · court

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — army training
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bound — certain
  5. roll — a list
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. drill — a practice
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. court — of a king
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. drill — the tool
  22. court — for sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — of law

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