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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rash — hasty
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rash — a series
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. last — final
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. chair — a leader
  23. last — to go on
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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