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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. march — the month
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fall — the season
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. march — the month
  10. fall — to drop
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fall — to drop
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wind — to turn a key

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