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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bank — of a river
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. sharp — clever
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — for money
  12. fork — in a road
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rest — a break
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bank — for money
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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