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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. field — for sport
  4. mate — a partner
  5. field — farmland
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mate — a friend
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. field — a subject
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. squash — to crush
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pass — a permit
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. squash — the sport
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mate — to breed
  24. suit — in cards

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