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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. tube — the underground
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. key — the most important part
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. hand — in cards
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. hand — help
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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