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

Word bank: wave · suit · cap · charge · squash · wind · bound · rest

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bound — tied together
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bound — certain
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wind — moving air
  15. squash — the sport
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rest — what's left
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bound — obliged
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rest — a break
  23. charge — a price
  24. cap — a lid

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