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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: rash · lean · race · content · suit · toast · wave · hand

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — a contest
  11. lean — thin
  12. content — happy
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rash — a series
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. race — humankind
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. hand — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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