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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rest — what's left
  4. last — to go on
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — of water
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rest — a break
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. current — happening now
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. current — electric
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rest — what's left
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. last — finally
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. last — final

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