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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ground — crushed
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. row — a line
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. present — the time now
  13. chair — a leader
  14. ground — a position
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. last — final
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ground — the earth

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