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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. wake — a trail
  3. roll — a list
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mate — a friend
  11. drill — army training
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. drill — a practice
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mate — to breed
  20. prune — to trim
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. drill — the tool
  24. prune — to trim

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