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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. can — a tin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rest — a break
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. last — finally
  12. can — to be able to
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rash — hasty
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rash — a series
  20. last — final
  21. rest — what's left
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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