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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. track — a song
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fall — to drop
  8. chair — a leader
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. fall — the season
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. chest — a box
  16. track — a path
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. chest — of your body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. chest — of your body

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