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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rock — music
  3. wake — a trail
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. club — for golf
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. root — of a plant
  12. last — final
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. club — a group
  16. last — finally
  17. root — the cause
  18. club — for dancing
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. charge — a price
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. root — of a word
  24. leaves — lets stay

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