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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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. row — to paddle
  4. suit — clothes
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. row — a line
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bear — the animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. wake — a trail
  14. hand — help
  15. bear — the animal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hand — in cards
  19. can — a tin
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. can — to be able to
  23. key — the most important part
  24. club — for dancing

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