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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · club · mine · wave · key · track · present · stand

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bound — tied together
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. club — for golf
  12. stand — to bear
  13. present — the time now
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. present — there
  19. key — in music
  20. club — a group
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mine — for digging
  23. present — a gift
  24. bound — certain

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