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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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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: wake · mate · mark · present · hide · cell · jam · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wake — a trail
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. present — the time now
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. present — a gift
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — a trace
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cell — in biology
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mate — a friend
  16. cell — a phone
  17. mate — a partner
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mate — to breed
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mark — a grade
  23. present — there
  24. hide — animal skin

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