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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rock — a stone
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. last — finally
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rash — a series
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rash — hasty
  10. suit — clothes
  11. press — a publisher
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. land — ground
  16. press — newspapers
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rock — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. last — final
  22. press — to push
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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