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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. board — a committee
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rest — what's left
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. board — to get on
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mine — belonging to me

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