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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bound — certain
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. staff — employees
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. march — the month
  18. staff — a stick
  19. march — the month
  20. bass — the fish
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. staff — employees
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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