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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. march — the month
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. object — a thing
  6. march — the month
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. key — for a lock
  10. present — the time now
  11. key — the most important part
  12. rock — music
  13. present — a gift
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. key — in music
  16. object — an aim
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. present — there
  20. rock — a stone
  21. object — to protest
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. march — music

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