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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. march — the month
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rest — what's left
  9. swing — music
  10. craft — boats
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. dip — to sink
  14. march — the month
  15. tube — the underground
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. swing — to play on
  21. tube — a container
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bear — the animal
  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