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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. season — of the year
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. current — of water
  12. track — to keep track
  13. current — happening now
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lean — thin
  18. rush — hurry
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. current — electric
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lean — to bend
  24. season — in sport

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