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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mine — for digging
  8. march — the month
  9. stock — shares
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. stock — goods
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ball — a great time
  24. march — the month

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