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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fine — all right
  5. key — in music
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bear — the animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. pit — a hole
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. fine — high quality
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bear — the animal
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. season — of the year
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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