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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. net — in sport
  3. present — the time now
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stand — to bear
  8. net — for catching
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. march — the month
  16. net — after costs
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. dip — to sink

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