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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. last — to go on
  3. suit — to fit
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. roll — a list
  6. staff — a stick
  7. last — final
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. perch — the fish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fall — to drop
  12. staff — employees
  13. current — of water
  14. fall — the season
  15. suit — in cards
  16. current — electric
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. staff — employees
  19. last — finally
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — happening now
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. fall — to drop

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