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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bass — the fish
  3. current — happening now
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. present — there
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. present — a gift
  8. bass — low music
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. present — the time now
  13. current — of water
  14. season — of the year
  15. current — electric
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wax — to grow
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. season — in sport
  24. fine — all right

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