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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: suit · content · leaves · wake · rash · race · racket · firm

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. firm — steady
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. firm — a company
  5. content — happy
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. race — the arms race
  8. content — the amount
  9. firm — decided
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — a contest
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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