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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 124 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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. wake — a trail
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — the tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rest — a break
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — decided
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — army training
  14. rest — what's left
  15. roll — a list
  16. firm — steady
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. kick — in football
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. firm — a company

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