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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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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 · wave · object · squash · racket · rule · wake · chair

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. squash — to crush
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. object — an aim
  16. squash — the sport
  17. chair — a leader
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rule — a law

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