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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. spell — magic
  3. track — to keep track
  4. game — wild animals
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. track — a song
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spell — a short time
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. kick — in football
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. game — a match
  16. track — a path
  17. cue — for pool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cue — a hint
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cue — a signal
  23. spell — letters
  24. ruler — for measuring

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