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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — what's left
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. foot — a measure
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bass — low music
  18. march — music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. march — the month
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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