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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 116 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. suit — in cards
  5. present — a gift
  6. track — a path
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. club — a group
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. suit — to fit
  12. last — final
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — clothes
  15. track — to keep track
  16. present — the time now
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. last — to go on
  21. present — there
  22. track — a song
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. last — finally

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