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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. content — happy
  3. fall — the season
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. fall — to drop
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pitch — completely
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fall — to drop
  14. suit — clothes
  15. content — the amount
  16. suit — in cards
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. prune — to trim
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. suit — to fit
  24. prune — to trim

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