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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. suit — in cards
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. board — a committee
  7. wind — moving air
  8. last — to go on
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wind — moving air
  12. drill — the tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. craft — boats
  15. mate — a friend
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. last — final
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — a skill
  22. last — finally
  23. mate — to breed
  24. suit — to fit

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