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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rest — a break
  9. key — in music
  10. last — finally
  11. fine — all right
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. last — to go on
  15. wake — a trail
  16. plane — a tool
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mark — a grade
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. last — final

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