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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 120 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fine — all right
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. march — the month
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. march — music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fine — high quality
  16. scale — in music
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fine — a penalty

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