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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mark — a grade
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. game — a match
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — a law
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rule — government
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. game — wild animals
  24. trunk — of a car

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