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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wake — a trail
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. field — farmland
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. field — a subject
  10. last — final
  11. mug — to rob
  12. object — an aim
  13. last — finally
  14. mug — a face
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. toast — bread
  17. last — to go on
  18. dip — to sink
  19. field — for sport
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. object — a thing
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — to protest
  24. mug — a cup

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