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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. last — to go on
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mate — a friend
  7. charge — electricity
  8. last — final
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mate — a partner
  12. toast — bread
  13. charge — in control
  14. mate — to breed
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. march — the month
  18. charge — a price
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. march — the month
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. march — music
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. hide — to keep secret

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