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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. can — a tin
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. march — music
  8. pit — a hole
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. bass — low music
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. track — to keep track
  21. land — to come down
  22. track — a song
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pit — in a race

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