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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bulb — for light
  11. last — finally
  12. bulb — for light
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. suit — in cards
  18. content — the amount
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. snap — to click
  22. content — happy
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. suit — clothes

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