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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: rush · bound · hide · calf · wave · club · hand · snap

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. snap — to click
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. club — a group
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bound — certain
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bound — obliged
  19. hand — help
  20. club — for golf
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. club — for dancing

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