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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stock — goods
  10. row — a line
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stock — shares
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — hurry

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