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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · kick · last · mouse · present · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. last — to go on
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. last — final
  9. present — the time now
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fork — in a road
  12. present — there
  13. rest — a break
  14. kick — in football
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — a gift
  18. last — finally

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