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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. capital — money
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chest — of your body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. season — in sport
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. capital — a city
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. season — of the year
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. foot — a measure

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