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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rest — a break
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. rest — what's left
  9. land — a country
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. board — a committee
  15. pit — in a race
  16. board — to get on
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rest — what's left

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