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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. file — a line of people
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wake — a trail
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mark — a trace
  7. key — in music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. key — for a lock
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mark — a grade
  13. file — a tool
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. swing — to play on
  18. file — a document
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. suit — clothes
  21. key — the most important part
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. band — a rubber band

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