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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 116 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. spell — letters
  5. march — the month
  6. can — a tin
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — clever
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. current — of water
  11. kick — in football
  12. current — happening now
  13. march — music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. scale — size or range
  16. current — electric
  17. spell — magic
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. scale — in music
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spell — a short time
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. can — a tin

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