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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cold — an illness
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. last — finally
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. cold — not warm
  21. last — final
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. chip — to eat
  24. lean — thin

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