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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fine — high quality
  3. suit — to fit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fine — all right
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wind — moving air
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wind — moving air
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. craft — a skill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. tube — a container
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. band — a music group
  22. craft — boats
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. band — a ring

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