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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kick — in football
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. capital — a city
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bear — the animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. capital — money
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wake — before a funeral

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