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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pop — soda
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bark — to shout
  14. pop — music
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mouse — the animal

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