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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mug — a face
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mug — to rob
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mine — for digging
  13. staff — a stick
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. can — a tin
  16. wound — an injury
  17. staff — employees
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mug — a cup
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. can — a tin
  24. staff — employees

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