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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rash — a series
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rest — a break
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — a friend
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rash — on the skin

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