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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. capital — a city
  3. suit — in cards
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. suit — to fit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. capital — money
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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