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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: ruler · wake · last · stick · bay · cabinet · chair · suit

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. last — final
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. last — to go on
  14. wake — a trail
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chair — a leader
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. suit — to fit
  22. last — finally
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ruler — for measuring

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