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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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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. last — finally
  4. squash — to crush
  5. can — to be able to
  6. club — a group
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. last — to go on
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stand — to bear
  12. can — a tin
  13. club — for golf
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. club — for dancing
  16. can — a tin
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. squash — the sport

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