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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wound — an injury
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mug — a face
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bear — to put up with

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