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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: suit · tear · wave · track · wind · leaves · season · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. season — in sport
  3. track — a path
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. dip — to sink
  7. suit — clothes
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wind — moving air
  11. tear — from crying
  12. track — to keep track
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wind — moving air
  16. tear — to rip
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. tear — from crying
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. season — of the year
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. track — a song
  24. suit — in cards

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