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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. capital — money
  4. squash — the sport
  5. last — finally
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bass — the fish
  10. last — final
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bass — low music
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. capital — a city
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — to bear
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bulb — for light
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rest — a break

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