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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 116 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. drill — the tool
  3. march — the month
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. drill — army training
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. march — music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mine — for digging
  15. drill — a practice
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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