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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. capital — money
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pound — a weight
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pass — a permit
  17. can — a tin
  18. capital — a city
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. can — a tin
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. hand — help
  24. pound — to hit hard

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