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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. roll — a list
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. track — a path
  7. mug — a face
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mug — a cup
  10. scale — in music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. track — a song
  14. craft — boats
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mug — to rob
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wind — moving air
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. wake — before a funeral

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