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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: mate · trunk · race · suit · wave · present

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mate — a friend
  3. race — a contest
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mate — to breed
  7. race — the arms race
  8. suit — clothes
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mate — a partner
  11. present — a gift
  12. suit — to fit
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. present — there
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. present — the time now

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