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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: game · wave · bound · cap · suit · pop · bore · racket

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pop — soda
  3. bore — to tire
  4. game — a match
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bound — tied together
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pop — music
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bound — certain
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pop — to visit

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