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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. object — to protest
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rest — a break
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. object — an aim
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. rush — hurry
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. object — a thing
  15. rest — what's left
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. leaves — lets stay

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