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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rest — a break
  6. field — farmland
  7. rule — a law
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. tear — from crying
  11. firm — decided
  12. tear — to rip
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. field — for sport
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. firm — steady
  19. rule — government
  20. field — a subject
  21. rest — what's left
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. tear — from crying
  24. firm — a company

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