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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cell — in biology
  5. tube — the underground
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tube — a container
  8. cell — a phone
  9. march — the month
  10. perch — the fish
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — for catching
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. net — in sport
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fork — in a road
  24. net — after costs

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