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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rest — what's left
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — final
  11. rest — a break
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. dip — to sink
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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