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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. march — the month
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rest — a break
  5. present — there
  6. row — to paddle
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. row — a line
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. march — the month
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rest — what's left
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. branch — a division
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. lie — to recline
  23. march — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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