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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 120 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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mate — to breed
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mine — for digging
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bulb — for light
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mate — a friend
  24. dip — a sauce

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