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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. tube — a container
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pass — a permit
  18. shower — rain
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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