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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rash — a series
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — hasty
  7. file — a document
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. march — the month
  10. file — a tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. march — music
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. perch — the fish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pass — a permit
  19. file — a line of people
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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