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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: cap · season · mark · squash · suit · race · wave · file

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. suit — to fit
  4. season — of the year
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — humankind
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. file — a line of people
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cap — a lid
  14. race — the arms race
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mark — a grade
  20. file — a document
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. mark — a trace
  24. file — a tool

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