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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rest — a break
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rest — what's left
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — for digging
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rest — what's left
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mug — a face
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. perch — the fish
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mine — an explosive

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