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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — for sport
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stand — to bear
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. track — a path
  15. season — in sport
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. track — a song
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. wake — a trail
  20. track — to keep track
  21. season — of the year
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. court — of law
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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