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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: wave · object · sharp · pit · trunk · can · game · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — certain
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pit — in a race
  12. game — wild animals
  13. object — a thing
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. can — to be able to
  19. game — a match
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. object — an aim
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. object — to protest

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