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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — a tin
  4. march — the month
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rule — a law
  7. track — a song
  8. rule — government
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. track — a path
  12. can — a tin
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. can — to be able to
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chip — for betting
  20. track — to keep track
  21. march — the month
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. chip — to eat

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