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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. march — the month
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. lean — thin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. march — music
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lean — to bend
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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