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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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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rash — a series
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. last — finally
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rock — music
  16. branch — a division
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wound — an injury
  20. suit — in cards
  21. last — final
  22. rush — hurry
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rock — a stone

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