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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. band — a ring
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. suit — in cards
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. last — finally
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. chair — a leader
  17. lie — to recline
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. last — final
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. suit — to fit
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rash — a series
  24. band — a music group

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