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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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 — final
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — to go on
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. rest — a break
  8. object — an aim
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. face — to point toward
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stand — to bear
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. face — part of the head
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. object — a thing
  19. face — to confront
  20. rest — what's left
  21. last — finally
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  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