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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. last — final
  4. can — a tin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. charge — in control
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. charge — electricity
  17. last — finally
  18. shower — to wash
  19. can — a tin
  20. charge — a price
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. suit — to fit
  23. shower — rain
  24. jam — a tight spot

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