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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stand — to bear
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. march — the month
  5. rest — a break
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bank — of a river
  8. last — finally
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. bank — for money
  14. net — in sport
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rest — what's left
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — final
  19. bank — for money
  20. roll — a cake
  21. march — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. roll — a list
  24. march — the month

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