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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. tube — a container
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. sharp — clever
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wake — a trail
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bound — certain
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. swing — music
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rush — hurry
  24. suit — clothes

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