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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bear — the animal
  10. march — the month
  11. firm — steady
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cold — an illness
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. firm — decided
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cold — not warm
  22. march — the month
  23. vault — a safe
  24. firm — a company

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