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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · mine · bound · fall · tube · plane · bowl · rule

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mine — for digging
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. tube — a container
  7. bound — certain
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. rule — government
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. rule — a law
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. plane — an aircraft

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