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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pitch — completely
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. toast — bread
  10. mug — to rob
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mug — a face
  17. rock — music
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rest — a break

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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