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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. last — finally
  5. last — to go on
  6. object — to protest
  7. present — the time now
  8. pound — a weight
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. snap — to click
  12. present — a gift
  13. object — a thing
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. object — an aim
  19. present — there
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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