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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. scale — size or range
  3. march — the month
  4. scale — in music
  5. march — the month
  6. present — the time now
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. march — music
  10. mark — a grade
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. spell — magic
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. spell — letters
  20. present — a gift
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pound — a weight
  24. present — there

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