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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. march — the month
  3. cue — for pool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. march — music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cue — a signal
  9. branch — a division
  10. ball — a dance
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stand — to bear
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cue — a hint
  16. march — the month
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lie — to recline
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. ball — a round shape

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