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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 116 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: land · coach · squash · cell · race · suit · bear · wave

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. squash — to crush
  3. cell — in biology
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. race — a contest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. race — the arms race
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — in cards
  13. land — to come down
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. land — ground
  17. suit — to fit
  18. land — a country
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. race — humankind
  22. cell — a phone
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bear — the animal

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