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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. scale — in music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — a trail
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rest — a break
  23. stand — to bear
  24. nail — on a finger

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