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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. drill — the tool
  7. craft — boats
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wound — an injury
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. drill — army training
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. swing — music
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cue — a hint
  24. drill — a practice

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