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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — a thing
  9. suit — in cards
  10. last — final
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lie — to recline
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. object — to protest
  17. last — to go on
  18. pound — a weight
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. object — an aim
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bat — the animal

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