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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. last — to go on
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. can — a tin
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wake — a trail
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. band — a music group
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. last — finally
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. can — a tin
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. pitch — completely
  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