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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. net — after costs
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mark — a grade
  5. spell — magic
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. march — the month
  12. band — a music group
  13. roll — a cake
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. march — music
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. roll — a list
  19. mark — a trace
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. band — a ring
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. band — a rubber band

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