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

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mug — a cup
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bore — to tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mug — a face
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bore — gave birth

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