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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. last — to go on
  3. rest — what's left
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pop — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rest — a break
  8. last — final
  9. current — happening now
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. last — finally
  12. can — a tin
  13. current — of water
  14. rest — what's left
  15. can — a tin
  16. current — electric
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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