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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 120 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: suit · wave · pound · hide · chip · tube · content · bound

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. tube — a container
  7. bound — obliged
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bound — certain
  10. pound — a weight
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. content — happy
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. tube — the underground
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bound — tied together
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. content — the amount
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chip — for betting
  24. hide — to keep secret

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