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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rash — a series
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bass — the fish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. rash — hasty
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bass — low 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