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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 · track · wake · arm · bulb · bass · mouse · last

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. track — a path
  13. bulb — for light
  14. track — a song
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. last — finally
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bass — low music
  20. bound — certain
  21. last — final
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bound — obliged
  24. last — to go on

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