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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wake — a trail
  4. season — in sport
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pop — soda
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. tube — a container
  9. season — of the year
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. firm — steady
  12. rush — hurry
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. firm — decided
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pop — music
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pop — to visit
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. firm — a company
  24. snap — to click

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