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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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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mate — to breed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mate — a partner
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chest — of your body
  8. stock — shares
  9. chest — of your body
  10. board — to get on
  11. chest — a box
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wake — a trail
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. suit — clothes

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