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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. season — of the year
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. season — in sport
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wind — moving air
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wake — a trail
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. capital — a city
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. capital — money
  24. temple — side of the head

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