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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — to go on
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mug — a face
  5. spell — magic
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. face — part of the head
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. face — to confront
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. present — there
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. last — finally
  17. fine — all right
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. present — the time now
  20. mug — to rob
  21. face — to point toward
  22. spell — letters
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. present — a gift

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