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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 · mug · rush · wind · lie · wave · bay · prune

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mug — to rob
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mug — a face
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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