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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wake — a trail
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. key — in music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cold — not warm
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. track — to keep track
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cold — an illness
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. track — a path
  24. wave — with your hand

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