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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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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: rush · mine · mate · wave · suit · bass · bound · racket

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mine — for digging
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bound — certain
  15. bass — low music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bass — the fish
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bound — obliged
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — to fit

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