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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. track — a path
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pit — in a race
  6. march — music
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pound — a weight
  18. track — a song
  19. march — the month
  20. bear — the animal
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. sharp — exactly

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