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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cap — a lid
  3. firm — decided
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mine — for digging
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. club — a group
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. content — the amount
  15. firm — steady
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. club — for golf
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. firm — a company
  22. content — happy
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. club — for dancing

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