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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. staff — employees
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wind — moving air
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. toast — bread
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rest — a break
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. ball — a great time
  24. date — the fruit

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