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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — finally
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rest — what's left
  8. press — to push
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. suit — in cards
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. press — newspapers
  14. suit — to fit
  15. press — a publisher
  16. cue — a signal
  17. last — final
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. sharp — clever
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. tube — in a tire

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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