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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rash — a series
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. row — to paddle
  12. branch — a division
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. season — in sport
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. fine — all right
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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