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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: bound · toast · wind · march · wave · dip · mouse · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bound — obliged
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. march — the month
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. march — music
  17. toast — bread
  18. march — the month
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bound — certain
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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