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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stand — to bear
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pop — music
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pop — to visit
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. spell — a short time
  11. can — a tin
  12. spell — magic
  13. pop — soda
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. spell — letters

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