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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. last — finally
  7. last — final
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. game — a match
  13. suit — to fit
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rush — hurry
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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