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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ground — crushed
  4. drill — army training
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. drill — the tool
  7. squash — the sport
  8. drill — a practice
  9. toast — bread
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ground — the earth
  12. court — for sport
  13. pit — in a race
  14. court — of law
  15. pit — a hole
  16. squash — to crush
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. court — of a king
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ground — a position
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. squash — the vegetable

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