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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. season — in sport
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. season — of the year
  6. ground — the earth
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ground — crushed
  9. lean — thin
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chair — a leader
  13. ground — a position
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wave — of the sea

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