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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 120 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. key — the most important part
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lie — to recline
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. key — in music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wake — a trail
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mouse — for a computer

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