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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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468
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. last — to go on
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cold — not warm
  10. last — finally
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cold — an illness
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rest — a break
  17. sharp — clever
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. last — final
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. rest — what's left
  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