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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bound — tied together
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — temperature
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bound — certain
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bound — obliged
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — music

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