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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fine — high quality
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. club — for golf
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pop — music
  16. squash — to crush
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pop — soda
  20. fine — all right
  21. kick — in football
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. squash — the sport

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