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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: wave · lean · bound · kick · racket · cue · saw · face

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. face — to point toward
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. face — part of the head
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. face — to confront
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bound — tied together
  15. lean — to bend
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bound — certain
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bound — obliged
  20. lean — thin
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kick — in football
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. kick — with a leg

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