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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. club — a group
  5. capital — a city
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. capital — money
  9. bat — the animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. season — of the year
  17. club — for dancing
  18. season — in sport
  19. club — for golf
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stand — to bear

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