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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. land — a country
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. capital — money
  12. march — the month
  13. land — to come down
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. capital — a city
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. foot — a measure
  24. land — ground

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