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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: stick · mark · pass · spring · band · scale · bound · wave

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. band — a music group
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. spring — of water
  11. bound — tied together
  12. scale — in music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bound — certain
  21. spring — the season
  22. bound — obliged
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mark — a trace

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