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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cap — of ice
  3. last — final
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rest — what's left
  6. last — to go on
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. suit — clothes
  10. last — finally
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pit — in a race
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rest — a break
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. cap — a lid
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. foot — a measure

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