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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. toast — bread
  4. cap — a lid
  5. last — finally
  6. staff — a stick
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. staff — employees
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. staff — employees
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. last — final
  24. pass — to succeed

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