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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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. rest — what's left
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — a list
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stock — goods
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rest — a break
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. march — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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