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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 120 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. field — farmland
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. field — a subject
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. field — for sport
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — a stick
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. staff — employees
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. ruler — a monarch

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