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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 116 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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rest — a break
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. last — finally
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rash — a series
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rest — what's left
  19. last — to go on
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. rash — hasty
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wave — with your hand

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