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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rest — a break
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rest — what's left
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. can — a tin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bear — the animal

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