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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. saw — the tool
  5. march — the month
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. march — music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wake — a trail
  10. object — to protest
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. suit — to fit
  13. object — an aim
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. squash — to crush
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. squash — the sport
  20. deal — to handle
  21. suit — in cards
  22. object — a thing
  23. pound — a weight
  24. suit — clothes

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