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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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — to bear
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. present — a gift
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pit — in a race
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. present — the time now
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pit — a hole
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. object — an aim

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