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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: bound · wave · temple · wound · fan · coach · staff · game

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bound — certain
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. staff — employees
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. game — a match
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. staff — employees
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wound — an injury
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. game — wild animals
  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