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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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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: wind · hide · wave · ruler · mug · rest · mouse · bound

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rest — a break
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bound — certain
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wind — moving air
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mug — a face
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — the animal

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