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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cap — of ice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pop — soda
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. rule — government
  14. pop — music
  15. rock — music
  16. march — the month
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rule — a law
  19. hand — help
  20. pop — to visit
  21. cap — a lid
  22. march — music
  23. drill — army training
  24. hand — in cards

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