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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rash — a series
  3. march — the month
  4. lean — thin
  5. rock — a stone
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. march — the month
  8. rash — hasty
  9. present — the time now
  10. stock — goods
  11. mug — a face
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stock — shares
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rock — music
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. march — music

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