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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pit — in a race
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. object — a thing
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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