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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pass — a permit
  6. last — to go on
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. clip — a video
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. last — final
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. clip — to cut
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. clip — for paper
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitch — completely
  19. lean — thin
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lean — to bend

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