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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. squash — to crush
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. march — music
  5. track — a song
  6. current — happening now
  7. march — the month
  8. current — electric
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. track — to keep track
  13. deal — to handle
  14. present — the time now
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bound — obliged
  17. track — a path
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bound — certain
  20. present — a gift
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. present — there
  23. bound — tied together
  24. current — of water

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