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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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Word bank
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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: suit · season · object · bound · wave · race · mine · craft

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. object — a thing
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — humankind
  11. bound — certain
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bound — obliged
  14. season — of the year
  15. craft — boats
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. suit — to fit
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. object — an aim
  22. craft — a skill
  23. object — to protest
  24. suit — clothes

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