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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. last — to go on
  4. object — a thing
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. suit — clothes
  11. content — happy
  12. swing — in golf
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. last — final
  16. swing — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. swing — to play on

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