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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.

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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chest — a box
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cue — for pool
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — to trim
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cue — a hint
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cue — a signal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. suit — in cards
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. march — the month

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