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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wound — an injury
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. object — to protest
  11. squash — the sport
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. object — a thing
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wound — an injury
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. foot — a measure
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. patient — a sick person

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