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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. season — in sport
  6. toast — bread
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. content — happy
  12. swing — in golf
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wake — a trail
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — of the year
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. lie — to recline
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. content — the amount

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