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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 120 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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cold — an illness
  3. last — finally
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. last — to go on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. cold — not warm
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rush — hurry
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. last — final
  24. mouse — the animal

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