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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. march — music
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. chair — a leader
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. game — wild animals
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. game — a match
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. fan — a supporter

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