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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. march — music
  7. net — in sport
  8. toast — bread
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. foot — a measure
  13. net — for catching
  14. march — the month
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. march — the month
  17. net — after costs
  18. rest — a break
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rest — what's left
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wound — an injury
  24. trunk — of a car

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