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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. swing — music
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. season — in sport
  6. march — the month
  7. swing — in golf
  8. file — a tool
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. file — a document
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. march — the month
  14. bark — to shout
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. season — of the year
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. march — music

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