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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. staff — employees
  3. wound — an injury
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. fine — high quality
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. staff — employees
  11. wake — a trail
  12. chair — a leader
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — a tin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rest — a break
  24. fine — all right

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