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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cold — not warm
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. bank — of a river
  8. capital — a city
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. bank — for money
  13. cold — an illness
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. capital — money
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — of the year
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bank — for money
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. suit — in cards
  24. capital — a big letter

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