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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hide · saw · wound · last · suit · bass · face · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rest — a break
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wound — an injury
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. last — finally
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. saw — the tool
  20. face — to point toward
  21. last — to go on
  22. bass — low music
  23. last — final
  24. suit — to fit

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