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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wake — a trail
  3. land — a country
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mate — a partner
  6. suit — to fit
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. land — ground
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. saw — the tool
  20. race — a contest
  21. land — to come down
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wave — with your hand

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