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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 116 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. march — music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. lean — thin
  10. rule — a law
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. file — a document
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lean — to bend
  23. march — the month
  24. fine — all right

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