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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: wave · object · cap · prune · bound · roll · bank · safe

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. object — an aim
  4. bank — for money
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bank — of a river
  7. object — a thing
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cap — of ice
  10. prune — to trim
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cap — a hat
  14. roll — a list
  15. cap — a lid
  16. object — to protest
  17. prune — to trim
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — of the sea

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