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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: suit · wave · bat · race · stock · nail · dip · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bat — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bound — certain
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stock — goods
  18. dip — to sink
  19. race — humankind
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. race — a contest
  22. stock — shares
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. suit — to fit

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