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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 120 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lean — thin
  5. march — the month
  6. deal — to handle
  7. march — the month
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. rush — hurry
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fork — to eat 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