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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 116 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rush — hurry
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. last — finally
  16. season — of the year
  17. last — final
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. degree — from a university
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. dip — to sink

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