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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. wake — a trail
  3. chair — a leader
  4. track — a path
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wind — moving air
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wind — moving air

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