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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. face — to point toward
  7. saw — the tool
  8. present — a gift
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. face — part of the head
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. court — of a king
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. court — for sport
  23. face — to confront
  24. court — of law

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