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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bark — to shout
  3. rest — what's left
  4. last — to go on
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. last — finally
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. snap — to click
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. dip — to sink
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — the most important part
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rest — a break
  16. last — final
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. band — a music group
  19. key — for a lock
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. suit — to fit
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rest — what's left
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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