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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bear — the animal
  3. charge — a price
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. degree — temperature
  9. last — finally
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. charge — in control
  19. last — final
  20. degree — from a university
  21. charge — electricity
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. mouse — the animal

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