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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. band — a ring
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pop — soda
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pop — to visit
  15. band — a music group
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pop — music
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. band — a rubber band

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