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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — in sport
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. club — a group
  8. bear — the animal
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. club — for golf
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bear — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. roll — a list
  24. club — for dancing

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