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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. last — final
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — finally
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chest — of your body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. tear — to rip
  24. lean — thin

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