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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rock — music
  6. fine — all right
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fine — high quality
  10. saw — the tool
  11. suit — clothes
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. march — the month
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. saw — the tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. squash — the sport

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