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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. key — in music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. clip — a video
  8. key — the most important part
  9. charge — a price
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. charge — in control
  13. bear — the animal
  14. clip — to cut
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. key — for a lock
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. staff — employees
  22. clip — for paper
  23. kick — in football
  24. bear — the animal

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