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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 116 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: staff · stick · rush · wave · race · face · leaves · bound

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bound — obliged
  4. race — a contest
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. face — to confront
  7. bound — certain
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. race — the arms race
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bound — tied together
  16. staff — employees
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. race — humankind
  22. face — part of the head
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. staff — employees

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