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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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. bass — low music
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. object — to protest
  13. bass — the fish
  14. capital — money
  15. object — an aim
  16. capital — a city
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. suit — clothes
  19. object — a thing
  20. suit — in cards
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. prune — the fruit

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