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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: wave · mouse · calf · bay · row · fine · bound · game

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. fine — high quality
  6. game — a match
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bound — certain
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. row — a line
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. row — to paddle

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