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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bear — the animal
  4. last — final
  5. bass — low music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cap — a hat
  8. staff — a stick
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cap — of ice
  14. staff — employees
  15. last — finally
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. staff — employees
  22. mate — a friend
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bass — the fish

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