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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. season — in sport
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. club — a group
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — a contest
  11. key — for a lock
  12. game — wild animals
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. game — a match
  15. key — in music
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. club — for dancing
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. suit — in cards
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — of the year
  22. race — humankind
  23. key — the most important part
  24. club — for 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