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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 120 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: rest · bound · row · arm · object · dip · pop · wave

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rest — a break
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pop — music
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. object — to protest
  12. dip — to sink
  13. row — to paddle
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. row — a line
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. object — an aim
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bound — certain
  24. dip — to dunk

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