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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: foot · drill · leaves · bound · kick · stock · wave · season

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stock — goods
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. kick — in football
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. season — in sport
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. stock — shares
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. foot — a measure
  21. season — of the year
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bound — certain
  24. leaves — to go away

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