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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mate — a partner
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. race — a contest
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mate — a friend
  7. object — to protest
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. squash — the sport
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. kick — in football
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. race — the arms race
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. suit — clothes
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — to crush
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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