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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — to sink
  6. march — the month
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. spell — a short time
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. drill — army training
  12. suit — to fit
  13. drill — the tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. spell — letters
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. vault — a safe
  24. spell — magic

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