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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 124 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lean — thin
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. suit — in cards
  6. net — in sport
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. suit — to fit
  10. net — after costs
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. roll — a list
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. net — for catching
  16. saw — the tool
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lean — to bend
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — of the year
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. roll — a cake
  24. lean — to rest against

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