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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rest — a break
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. last — to go on
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. last — finally
  20. bank — for money
  21. last — final
  22. rash — a series
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. mate — to breed

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