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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pit — in a race
  3. swing — music
  4. mate — to breed
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. field — a subject
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mate — a partner
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rush — hurry
  15. field — for sport
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. field — farmland
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mate — a friend
  24. swing — in golf

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