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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 120 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: rock · mate · ground · lean · object · suit · bat · wave

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mate — to breed
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mate — a partner
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rock — music
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mate — a friend
  10. ground — crushed
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. object — an aim
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bat — the animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. object — a thing
  17. ground — the earth
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ground — a position
  20. rock — a stone
  21. lean — thin
  22. object — to protest
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bat — for baseball

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