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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. spell — magic
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. track — to keep track
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. rash — hasty
  12. spell — letters
  13. rash — a series
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. track — a path
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. charge — electricity
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. spell — a short time
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. track — a song

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