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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: wave · suit · object · court · spring · tube · mate · last

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. spring — a coil
  4. last — final
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. last — to go on
  7. object — to protest
  8. tube — the underground
  9. suit — clothes
  10. court — for sport
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mate — a friend
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. last — finally
  16. court — of law
  17. suit — in cards
  18. spring — the season
  19. court — of a king
  20. object — an aim
  21. mate — to breed
  22. object — a thing
  23. mate — a partner
  24. suit — to fit

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