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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. march — the month
  3. last — to go on
  4. lie — to recline
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — to visit
  10. charge — a price
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pop — music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. last — finally
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pop — soda
  23. bear — the animal
  24. charge — in control

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