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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: bound · cap · root · wave · rash · safe · band · content

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cap — a lid
  6. rash — a series
  7. cap — a hat
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bound — certain
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cap — of ice
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — of a word
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. band — a music group
  17. bound — tied together
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. content — happy
  20. band — a ring
  21. content — the amount
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. safe — out of danger

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