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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. suit — to fit
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rash — hasty
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wake — a trail
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. season — in sport
  14. bound — certain
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. season — of the year
  20. branch — a division
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bound — tied together
  24. branch — of a bank

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