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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. saw — the tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — a trail
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. squash — to crush
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. object — a thing
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — the sport
  22. track — a path
  23. object — to protest
  24. saw — the tool

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