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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. mate — a friend
  3. charge — in control
  4. march — the month
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rule — a law
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bark — to shout
  13. charge — a price
  14. mate — a partner
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. march — the month
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. last — finally
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — of a river
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rule — government

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