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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rest — a break
  11. wound — an injury
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. foot — a measure
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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