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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. march — the month
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. ground — a position
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pop — soda
  16. march — the month
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cell — in biology
  22. pop — music
  23. march — music
  24. suit — in cards

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