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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 120 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: fine · racket · rest · last · cap · staff · march · rash

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. last — finally
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. march — the month
  5. cap — a hat
  6. staff — a stick
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rash — hasty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. staff — employees
  12. fine — all right
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. march — the month
  17. staff — employees
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. march — music
  20. rest — a break
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. last — final
  23. rash — a series
  24. last — to go on

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