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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cabinet · prune · race · ball · firm · wave · bound · press

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. press — to push
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a dance
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. race — humankind
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. bound — tied together
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — decided
  20. race — the arms race
  21. press — newspapers
  22. race — a contest
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bound — certain

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