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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 116 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. season — in sport
  3. mug — a face
  4. firm — steady
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. firm — a company
  8. rush — hurry
  9. season — of the year
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mug — a cup
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. band — a music group
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. band — a ring
  19. perch — the fish
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — decided
  23. present — the time now
  24. mug — to rob

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