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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wake — a trail
  11. current — happening now
  12. mark — a trace
  13. kick — in football
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. current — of water
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. current — electric
  21. content — the amount
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rush — hurry
  24. content — happy

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