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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. march — music
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mate — a friend
  5. net — in sport
  6. bore — to tire
  7. band — a music group
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — to drill
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. march — the month
  13. mate — a partner
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. march — the month
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — after costs
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. leaves — lets stay

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