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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. swing — music
  4. wound — an injury
  5. march — the month
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stock — goods
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. staff — employees
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bore — to tire
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bore — to drill
  19. swing — to play on
  20. staff — employees
  21. stock — shares
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stock — a soup base

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