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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. track — a path
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mate — a partner
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. track — a song
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mate — to breed
  24. fan — a supporter

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