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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. face — part of the head
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. march — the month
  6. bulb — for light
  7. land — ground
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — to point toward
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. land — to come down
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — for money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bank — for money
  23. land — a country
  24. mark — a trace

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