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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rest — a break
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. last — to go on
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. swing — in golf
  9. last — final
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. band — a music group
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. swing — to play on
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. band — a ring
  20. stand — to bear
  21. last — finally
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. swing — music

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