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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bank — of a river
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wake — a trail
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fine — all right
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. current — happening now
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — for money
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bank — for money
  18. ball — a great time
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. march — the month
  21. current — electric
  22. march — music
  23. current — of water
  24. squash — the sport

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