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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: rock · present · plane · bound · date · leaves · pound · wave

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rock — music
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — a stone
  6. plane — a tool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bound — tied together
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. present — there
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pound — a weight
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rock — to move gently

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