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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. court — for sport
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. court — of a king
  5. march — the month
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bulb — for light
  10. can — a tin
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. court — of law
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pound — a weight
  19. march — the month
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wax — to grow
  22. can — a tin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bulb — for light

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