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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. key — for a lock
  3. toast — bread
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. key — in music
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. chest — a box
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wake — a trail

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