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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rule — a law
  3. suit — in cards
  4. present — a gift
  5. last — finally
  6. object — to protest
  7. toast — bread
  8. object — a thing
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rash — hasty
  12. object — an aim
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rash — a series
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. present — there
  19. spell — magic
  20. rule — government
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. toast — the most admired

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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