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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. suit — clothes
  3. object — an aim
  4. fine — all right
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. object — a thing
  7. suit — to fit
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. object — to protest
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. track — to keep track
  13. fine — high quality
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. cold — not warm
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. suit — in cards
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cold — an illness

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