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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: leaves · bound · wave · craft · ground · tube · net · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — boats
  3. tube — the underground
  4. craft — a skill
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. track — a path
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bound — tied together
  12. ground — a position
  13. bound — obliged
  14. tube — a container
  15. bound — certain
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. track — to keep track
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ground — crushed
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. net — in sport
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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