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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. last — to go on
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. file — a line of people
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mate — a partner
  13. last — final
  14. fall — the season
  15. file — a tool
  16. mate — a friend
  17. row — a line
  18. file — a document
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. last — finally
  24. mate — to breed

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