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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. object — a thing
  8. degree — an amount
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. object — to protest
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. degree — temperature
  17. can — a tin
  18. object — an aim
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. can — to be able to
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rest — what's left

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