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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. last — to go on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. staff — employees
  7. board — to get on
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wake — a trail
  12. staff — employees
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. last — final
  18. drill — a practice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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