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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bound — tied together
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bound — certain
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mate — a friend
  13. prune — to trim
  14. board — a committee
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bound — obliged
  17. rest — a break
  18. file — a document
  19. fine — all right
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. file — a tool
  22. mate — to breed
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mate — a partner

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