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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. present — a gift
  5. spring — a coil
  6. present — there
  7. spring — the season
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rash — hasty
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. present — the time now
  19. spring — of water
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rash — a series
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mouse — the animal

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