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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. band — a music group
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. staff — employees
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — to recline
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. fine — all right
  16. last — to go on
  17. staff — employees
  18. spell — letters
  19. band — a ring
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fine — high quality

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