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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. object — an aim
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. foot — a measure
  6. mate — a partner
  7. file — a document
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. file — a line of people
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. object — to protest
  13. march — the month
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. march — music
  19. object — a thing
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. file — a tool

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