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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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468
Word bank
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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. season — in sport
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. toast — bread
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mark — a grade
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wind — moving air
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mark — a trace
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. wind — moving air
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mate — a partner
  24. season — of the year

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