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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wound — an injury
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. last — final
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — a permit
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. last — finally
  24. pass — to spend time

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