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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: mate · root · wave · swing · cue · file · tube · bound

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mate — to breed
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. swing — to play on
  8. file — a tool
  9. root — the cause
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cue — a hint
  14. swing — music
  15. tube — a container
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. root — of a word
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bound — certain
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bound — tied together
  24. file — a document

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