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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. can — to be able to
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. march — the month
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. band — a music group
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. march — the month
  19. ground — a position
  20. band — a ring
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. bowl — a football final

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