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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. march — music
  3. march — the month
  4. march — the month
  5. current — of water
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. mate — a friend
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. mate — a partner
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bark — to shout
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pass — to spend time

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