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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — in cards
  4. tear — from crying
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. toast — bread
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. sharp — clever
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. march — the month
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. suit — to fit
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. suit — clothes

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