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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. lie — to recline
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. capital — a city
  9. firm — a company
  10. object — a thing
  11. mate — a partner
  12. object — an aim
  13. mate — to breed
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. object — to protest
  16. capital — money
  17. last — finally
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. last — to go on
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ruler — for measuring

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