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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 120 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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bulb — for light
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. current — happening now
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. face — part of the head
  10. current — of water
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — of the year
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. season — in sport
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — for pool
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. current — electric
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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