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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rest — a break
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mug — a cup
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. mug — a face
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cap — of ice
  14. present — there
  15. mug — to rob
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. last — finally
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. last — to go 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