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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 116 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. land — to come down
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. land — ground
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — to fit
  17. land — a country
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rest — a break
  23. pound — a weight
  24. suit — clothes

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