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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wake — a trail
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pit — a hole
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. row — a line
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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