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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. prune — to trim
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pit — in a race
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — music
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. ball — a great time
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rock — a stone
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. date — the fruit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pit — a hole
  22. prune — to trim
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ball — a round shape

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