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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: bound · season · dip · charge · object · wave · stock · rash

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — of the year
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rash — a series
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. object — a thing
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. charge — in control
  15. object — to protest
  16. stock — shares
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. charge — a price
  20. season — in sport
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. charge — electricity
  23. object — an aim
  24. rash — hasty

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