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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. last — final
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — clothes
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. last — finally
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. straw — dry grass

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