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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. hand — in cards
  3. last — final
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rash — hasty
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. hand — help
  12. last — finally
  13. rash — a series
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. dip — to sink
  24. trunk — of a car

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