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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fall — the season
  4. suit — clothes
  5. present — the time now
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — in cards
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — there
  10. march — the month
  11. scale — in music
  12. march — music
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. craft — boats
  17. wind — moving air
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — a skill
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fall — to drop

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