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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. can — a tin
  7. file — a document
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — final
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. can — a tin
  16. file — a tool
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. file — a line of people
  21. last — finally
  22. swing — in golf
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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