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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bank — of a river
  5. can — a tin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. drill — a practice
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. date — the fruit
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. drill — army training
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. march — music
  21. bank — for money
  22. bear — the animal
  23. march — the month
  24. bear — to put up with

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