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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. spring — the season
  3. roll — a list
  4. spring — of water
  5. march — the month
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. suit — to fit
  10. march — the month
  11. foot — a measure
  12. spring — a coil
  13. suit — clothes
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. suit — in cards
  16. roll — a cake
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. saw — the tool

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