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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. track — a path
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mate — to breed
  8. club — for golf
  9. march — music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mate — a partner
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bound — certain
  18. march — the month
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. squash — to crush
  23. track — a song
  24. club — a group

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