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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. march — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. drill — army training
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. march — the month
  9. face — to point toward
  10. can — a tin
  11. last — to go on
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. drill — a practice
  18. face — to confront
  19. last — finally
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — a safe
  23. last — final
  24. march — the month

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