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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: chest · racket · trunk · rock · wave · toast · present · bound

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bound — obliged
  3. present — there
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. chest — of your body
  7. present — the time now
  8. bound — certain
  9. present — a gift
  10. chest — a box
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rock — music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bound — tied together

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