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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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. leaves — of a tree
  4. current — of water
  5. ball — a dance
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. current — happening now
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — electric
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. field — farmland
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. field — for sport
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. field — a subject
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mark — a grade

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