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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. march — music
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pop — soda
  6. bore — to tire
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. staff — employees
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pop — music
  12. staff — employees
  13. shower — rain
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. march — the month
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mark — a grade
  19. saw — the tool
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bore — to drill
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mark — a trace
  24. staff — a stick

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