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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. object — an aim
  3. spring — the season
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. staff — employees
  8. prune — to trim
  9. staff — employees
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. spring — a coil
  12. staff — a stick
  13. spring — of water
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. last — final
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rest — what's left
  20. last — to go on
  21. object — a thing
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. object — to protest

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