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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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. wave — of the sea
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — clothes
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lean — thin
  9. club — for golf
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. can — to be able to
  13. last — final
  14. can — a tin
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. club — a group
  18. mine — for digging
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. suit — to fit
  22. can — a tin
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. lean — to bend

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