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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wound — an injury
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. suit — to fit
  6. hand — in cards
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bass — the fish
  10. squash — the sport
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bass — low music
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. stand — to bear
  16. squash — to crush
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. hand — help
  24. wound — an injury

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