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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. race — humankind
  8. lean — thin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. race — a contest
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fork — in a road
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. suit — clothes
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. race — the arms race
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lean — to rest against

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