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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. object — to protest
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. craft — boats
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rule — government
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rule — a law
  19. object — an aim
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. object — a thing
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. rule — to rule out

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