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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. file — a tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — a skill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pit — in a race
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. file — a line of people
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bulb — for light
  17. craft — boats
  18. bear — the animal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mug — a face
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. file — a document

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