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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — to go on
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. toast — bread
  6. swing — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. last — final
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bear — the animal
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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