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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rest — what's left
  3. march — the month
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — music
  7. press — newspapers
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. band — a music group
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. can — a tin
  13. press — to push
  14. can — a tin
  15. track — to keep track
  16. press — a publisher
  17. can — to be able to
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. track — a song
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. band — a ring
  23. track — a path
  24. lash — an eyelash

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