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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 · chair · racket · rock · mate · rest · race · fan

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. suit — clothes
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rock — a stone
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chair — a leader
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rock — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. race — humankind
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mate — to breed
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rest — a break
  21. race — the arms race
  22. mate — a friend
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rest — what's left

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