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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rest — a break
  6. season — of the year
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. scale — in music
  9. season — in sport
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rash — a series
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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