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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. spell — magic
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. squash — the sport
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. track — a song
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ball — a dance
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. track — a path
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bulb — for light
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bulb — for light

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