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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. march — music
  3. spell — magic
  4. mug — a cup
  5. scale — in music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. march — the month
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mug — a face
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. bore — to tire
  19. march — the month
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. scale — size or range

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