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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. firm — steady
  3. season — of the year
  4. game — a match
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lean — to bend
  8. spring — the season
  9. sharp — clever
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. firm — decided
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. spring — of water
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. season — in sport
  17. firm — a company
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. lean — thin
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. game — wild animals
  24. sharp — with an edge

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