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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
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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 · wave · rock · key · spring · mouse · fan · safe

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bound — certain
  3. rock — music
  4. spring — a coil
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bound — obliged
  11. spring — of water
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. spring — the season
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bound — tied together
  19. key — in music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — for a lock

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