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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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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — boats
  5. rest — a break
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pit — in a race
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fine — high quality
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fine — all right

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