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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. last — final
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. shower — to wash
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. staff — employees
  12. last — finally
  13. shower — rain
  14. rest — a break
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stand — to bear
  22. last — to go on
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. branch — of a bank

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