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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. charge — electricity
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ground — the earth
  13. march — the month
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rest — a break
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. deal — to handle
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — crushed
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ground — a position
  24. bulb — of a plant

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