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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. lean — to bend
  5. suit — to fit
  6. race — the arms race
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kick — in football
  14. lean — thin
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. race — a contest
  21. object — an aim
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. race — humankind
  24. wake — a trail

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