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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. march — the month
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stock — goods
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. march — the month
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. stock — shares
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mine — for digging
  18. hide — animal skin

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