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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · toast · rush · ruler · track · present · wave · saw

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. track — a path
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. present — a gift
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. track — a song
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. track — to keep track
  24. toast — bread

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