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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. prune — to trim
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. march — the month
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — to keep track
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. march — the month
  10. charge — a price
  11. toast — bread
  12. charge — electricity
  13. track — a path
  14. track — a song
  15. bound — tied together
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bound — certain
  19. mug — a face
  20. charge — in control
  21. bound — obliged
  22. march — music
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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