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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. track — a path
  5. march — the month
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. suit — in cards
  10. roll — a list
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pitch — completely
  22. track — a song
  23. march — the month
  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