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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wind — moving air
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. suit — clothes
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. last — final
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rush — to hurry

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