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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. march — music
  6. bank — of a river
  7. spring — a coil
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. squash — to crush
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mug — to rob

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