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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 116 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pitch — completely
  3. march — the month
  4. tube — the underground
  5. spring — a coil
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. tube — a container
  10. can — to be able to
  11. spring — of water
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. can — a tin
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. spring — the season
  23. march — music
  24. tube — in a tire

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