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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. suit — clothes
  3. clip — for paper
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. stand — to bear
  11. clip — a video
  12. last — finally
  13. last — final
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. drill — a practice
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. drill — army training
  20. ground — crushed
  21. clip — to cut
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. drill — the tool
  24. suit — in cards

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