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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. wake — a trail
  4. spring — a coil
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. firm — a company
  8. spring — of water
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cue — for pool
  11. spring — the season
  12. firm — steady
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. band — a music group
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. band — a ring
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. firm — decided
  23. cue — a signal
  24. scale — size or range

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