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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — finally
  4. rest — a break
  5. bear — the animal
  6. capital — money
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. capital — a city
  12. can — to be able to
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. toast — bread
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bound — obliged
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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