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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. march — the month
  9. rash — a series
  10. rush — hurry
  11. march — music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wound — an injury
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. fork — in a road
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — in sport
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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