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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. hand — help
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. key — in music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. perch — the fish
  18. key — the most important part
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. key — for a lock
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. stand — on your feet

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