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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. march — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. march — the month
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — to protest
  7. suit — to fit
  8. season — in sport
  9. squash — the sport
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. squash — to crush
  12. snap — to click
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. suit — in cards
  17. object — an aim
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. march — the month
  24. season — of the year

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