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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pop — to visit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. present — a gift
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. present — there
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. present — the time now
  16. spell — magic
  17. pop — soda
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. pop — music

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