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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pop — soda
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pitch — completely
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. roll — a list
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. roll — a cake
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. deal — to handle

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