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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cell — in biology
  4. suit — clothes
  5. object — a thing
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. suit — in cards
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. press — newspapers
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. press — a publisher
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. pitch — completely
  16. cell — a phone
  17. press — to push
  18. last — to go on
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — to fit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. last — finally

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