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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 124 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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. march — the month
  3. sharp — clever
  4. march — the month
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bore — to drill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. march — music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pop — music
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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