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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. season — of the year
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pop — soda
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pop — music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. season — in sport
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bark — to shout
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pop — to visit
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rest — a break

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