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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. suit — in cards
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rest — what's left
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. toast — bread
  9. file — a line of people
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. file — a tool
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. last — final
  14. file — a document
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rest — a break
  18. suit — clothes
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. bore — to tire
  23. last — to go on
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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