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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. march — the month
  4. rest — what's left
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. march — music
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rest — a break
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. sharp — clever
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. march — the month
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — for a hammer

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