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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. track — a song
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mate — a friend
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tear — to rip
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. tear — from crying
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mate — to breed
  21. wake — a trail
  22. prune — to trim
  23. track — a path
  24. safe — out of danger

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