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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — to go on
  3. march — the month
  4. shower — rain
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — in music
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. last — final
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. key — for a lock
  15. march — music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. shower — to wash
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bark — to shout
  24. safe — out of danger

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