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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 116 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pop — to visit
  6. land — ground
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. land — to come down
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. suit — clothes
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pop — soda
  16. perch — the fish
  17. land — a country
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pop — music
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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