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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. march — the month
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. march — the month
  14. spell — magic
  15. spring — the season
  16. suit — to fit
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spring — a coil
  22. season — of the year
  23. spell — letters
  24. spring — of water

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