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

Word bank: pass · chair · foot · cue · toast · rock · nail · last

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. toast — bread
  3. last — finally
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rock — music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. last — to go on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. cue — a signal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. cue — for pool
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. nail — for a hammer

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