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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. craft — a skill
  6. club — for golf
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. club — a group
  9. fall — to drop
  10. craft — boats
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. march — the month
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — the season
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. march — the month

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