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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. object — to protest
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. toast — bread
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. chair — a leader
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. object — a thing
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ground — crushed
  16. snap — to click
  17. object — an aim
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wake — a trail
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. toast — the most admired

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