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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: season · bound · foot · mouse · wake · net · swing · wave

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. net — in sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. swing — music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bound — obliged
  12. net — for catching
  13. season — of the year
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. net — after costs
  21. swing — in golf
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bound — certain

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