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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bark — to shout
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. charge — in control
  8. season — of the year
  9. charge — electricity
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. charge — a price
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rock — music
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. rock — a stone
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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