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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. firm — decided
  3. last — finally
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. can — a tin
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rule — a law
  9. cue — for pool
  10. last — to go on
  11. firm — a company
  12. cue — a hint
  13. face — to confront
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pound — a weight
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rule — government
  18. firm — steady
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. cue — a signal
  22. face — part of the head
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. can — a tin

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