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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · fall · race · pit · press · suit

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. race — humankind
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fall — the season
  6. press — to push
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. suit — in cards
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pit — a hole
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pit — in a race
  17. suit — to fit
  18. race — a contest

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