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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 116 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. march — music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. march — the month
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cap — a hat
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pop — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pop — soda
  19. march — the month
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pop — to visit
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cap — a lid
  24. wake — a trail

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