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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. last — final
  7. last — to go on
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. track — a path
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rest — a break
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. track — to keep track
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — a song

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