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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. net — after costs
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. net — in sport
  8. face — to confront
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cue — a signal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bark — to shout
  20. face — to point toward
  21. net — for catching
  22. fine — all right
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. cue — a hint

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