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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. can — a tin
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. last — to go on
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rash — hasty
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chair — a leader
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. can — a tin
  19. last — final
  20. toast — bread
  21. last — finally
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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