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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. charge — in control
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. charge — a price
  16. net — after costs
  17. wake — a trail
  18. charge — electricity
  19. suit — in cards
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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