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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. present — a gift
  4. rush — hurry
  5. present — there
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fork — in a road
  16. firm — a company
  17. present — the time now
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wake — a trail

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