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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. staff — employees
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rest — a break
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bulb — for light
  13. saw — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bowl — a dish

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