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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: racket · suit · mark · cap · squash · wave · face · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mark — a grade
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cap — of ice
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. face — to confront
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. face — to point toward
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cap — a hat
  11. suit — clothes
  12. face — part of the head
  13. suit — in cards
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. suit — to fit
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mark — to pay attention

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