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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. band — a ring
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. march — the month
  9. band — a music group
  10. branch — a division
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rule — a law
  13. pit — in a race
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pit — a hole
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. craft — a skill
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rule — government
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. craft — boats

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