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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: wake · wound · face · race · wave · drill · rush · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. race — a contest
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wound — an injury
  7. drill — army training
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. race — humankind
  18. wound — an injury
  19. race — the arms race
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. suit — to fit
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rush — hurry
  24. face — to confront

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