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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bass — low music
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. spell — magic
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fine — all right
  17. spell — a short time
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rock — music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pit — in a race
  24. spell — letters

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