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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. chest — of your body
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cue — a signal
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. last — final
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. chest — a box
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. last — finally
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chest — of your body
  15. row — a line
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — a break
  19. cue — a hint
  20. charge — electricity
  21. row — to paddle
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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