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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.

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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. mug — a cup
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mug — a face
  12. suit — in cards
  13. firm — a company
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. row — to paddle
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mug — to rob
  18. firm — decided
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ground — a position
  21. row — a line
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — the animal
  24. firm — steady

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