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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: stand · row · bound · present · mouse · cabinet · wave · tube

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. row — a line
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. row — to paddle
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. present — a gift
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bound — certain
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. present — the time now
  16. bound — obliged
  17. present — there
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. tube — a container
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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