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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. row — a line
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pass — a permit
  20. present — a gift
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wake — a trail

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