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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. present — the time now
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wake — a trail
  8. present — a gift
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bass — low music
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. present — there
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bass — the fish

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