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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · wake · lean · rush · object · mate

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mate — a partner
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. object — an aim
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. lean — thin

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