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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
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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: rest · date · bulb · foot · wave · bound · key · cue

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bound — tied together
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cue — a signal
  6. key — in music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — obliged
  9. cue — a hint
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rest — a break
  12. cue — for pool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bound — certain
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bulb — for light
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bulb — for light
  23. date — the fruit
  24. foot — the bottom

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