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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 · wave · degree · race · capital · leaves · pitch · suit

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  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. rash — a series
  2. capital — money
  3. race — a contest
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. capital — a city
  9. degree — an amount
  10. race — the arms race
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pitch — completely
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. race — humankind
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. suit — to fit
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. degree — temperature
  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