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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · field · cabinet · season · bound · arm · wind · mark

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bound — tied together
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bound — obliged
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. field — farmland
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. field — a subject
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wind — moving air
  19. field — for sport
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bound — certain
  23. mark — a trace
  24. season — of the year

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