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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 · nail · wind · mark · wave · date · pit · net

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wind — moving air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. suit — in cards
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. net — in sport
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mark — a trace
  16. net — after costs
  17. pit — a hole
  18. date — the fruit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. net — for catching

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