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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. club — for golf
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. club — for dancing
  13. plane — a tool
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. club — a group
  18. wake — a trail

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